


Southern Charm

by morganskye



Category: Ghostbusters - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 19:44:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15226494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morganskye/pseuds/morganskye
Summary: The boys get a call from Charleston, SC to come and do a major bust for a man who just bought a huge plantation. The problem is that there's more going on than just a basic bust-n-go can handle. The story they're getting doesn't match what they're seeing first hand. After things go downhill they reach out for assistance, but is the help they get what they really need?Rating for language





	1. Road Trip!

**Author's Note:**

> They say you should write what you know. I've lived in Charleston for over 20 years, so I guess I know this place! I hope you like my first GB fic that isn't relationship centered. Don't worry though, there's something here for all my Egon/Janine fans! Also while this isn't set in a specific universe, I pictured the IDW characters in my head for the most part, with a little RGB thrown in for flavor.

**Chapter One**

 

       Janine was just hanging up the phone when the Ecto pulled in from it’s latest bust. It had been a very busy Thursday, not to mention a hellish week. She noticed that the guys were tired, so much more than just a lack of sleep. Even Peter was too worn out to do more than toss the invoice on her desk. 

       “I hate to do this, but we got another call,” she said as she put the invoice in the ‘To Do’ bin. 

       The collective groans were pitiful. 

       “Please. Please Janine whatever I did I’m sorry. Just stop trying to kill us,” begged Peter. 

       “We haven’t had a day off in two weeks,” added Ray, his puppy-dog eyes extra pathetic. 

       “I empathize since I haven’t had one either. I keep saying we need to hire more people...anyway, the call is from a Mr. Perkins in Charleston, SC. His assistant said he just bought an old plantation home that is filled with the paranormal. From what I could gather on the phone he’s got about 20 individual specters at least.”

       “20??” 

       “At the very least. Possibly even a poltergeist or two, but it’s hard to tell over the phone.”

       “Janine, sweet Janine,” cooed Peter as he leaned over the desk. “Tell me my favorite words my love.”

       She smirked. “He’s willing to pay double the fee, plus travel and per diem, PLUS let you stay in the guest house for the duration of the bust, then another week after should you decide to play tourist. So Dr. V it looks like you’re getting a paid vacation.”

       “I could kiss you.”

       “Hard pass. Just bring me back something interesting as a souvenir. Something that isn’t haunted, past or present.”

       “Deal. Alright boys get some rest. Tomorrow we road trip!”

       The cheers were less than enthusiastic. 

 

       The next morning everything was loaded up into the Ecto, as well as small trailer that held the packs and a portable containment unit. Janine had taken care of plotting their route, booking a hotel in Virginia for the night, as well as filling the cooler with sandwiches, snacks and drinks. She also made it VERY clear that she was taking a few days off as well. Peter tried to say something about it, but the withering looks he got from Ray and Winston could have killed. 

       “Fine fine. Come on let’s get in the car.”

       One by one they piled in. Winston was taking first shift driving and Ray sat with him in the front seat. Peter took the back along with Egon...who was currently missing. Ray popped his head out the window.

       “Hey Iggy! We’re leaving!”

       Egon hustled down the stairs with one more bag. As he was walking to the car Janine caught him. Winston, watching in the rear view mirror, saw her hand him a large brown bag. Egon looked inside and grinned, then turned to leave. He made it four steps before stopping and spinning back to her. In a move that shocked all involved, including the other Busters, he gave her a very quick kiss full on the lips. When Egon got in Ecto he only said,

       “She gave me candy.”

       “Well that explains everything,” Peter quipped, rolling his eyes. 

       Janine had recovered enough from her sheer, but very welcome, surprise to wave as the Ecto pulled out of the garage. As soon as they were out of sight she kicked off her heels, cranked up the radio, and tackled her backlog.

 

       As the spring green Pennsylvania countryside streamed by, Ray tried his best to keep everyone upbeat. 

       “So what do you guys want to play now? There’s punch buggy, I Spy, I’m going on a picnic...” 

       “How about ‘Ray shuts up for five minutes’. I love that game.”

       “Peter don’t be a jerk. Here Ray, Janine got you some comics,” Egon said, pulling them from the bag she had given him earlier. 

       “Alright! Dopey Dog!” 

       “Remind me to thank Janine later,” Winston joked. 

       The trip had been fairly pleasant so far. The early May weather was sunny and the traffic was light. They had about four more hours before their planned hotel stop, assuming nothing changed. 

       “Winston do you want one of us to take over?” asked Egon.

       “Nah man I’m good. I like trips like this. Ecto does so much city driving she needs this to clear out her system.” He hit the gas. Ecto sputtered a little but increased speed. “See? There’s too much carbon in her. A few more jumps like that and she’ll be purring like a kitten.” 

       “Ah...good. I think.” 

       “Yeah, it’s good,” Winston chuckled. He idly stroked Ecto’s dash lovingly. “Don’t worry baby. You’re in excellent hands.”

       “Does petting the car make it work better?”

       “I’m not sure, but it couldn’t hurt, right?”

       Egon eyed Winston, then the PKE meter beside him on the back seat. He gave it an awkward pat. 

       “Good Psychokinetic Energy meter.” 

       Winston snorted, but didn’t comment. 

 

       It was about 6pm when they hit the Virginia border. The ride was starting to wear on everyone. Only Ray was still in decent spirits, so they had him drive. Winston and Peter were snoozing while Egon was using his headlamp to read. 

       “Hey Iggy. Do we really need to stop? If we go straight on through we’d get there around 1 am.”

       Peter jerked upright, completely alert. 

       “No! No way. We are stopping. I need a hot meal, a hot shower, and real sleep. Besides, the land baron isn’t expecting us until tomorrow afternoon.”

       Ray pouted, but agreed. 

       “What exit do I take for the hotel?”

       Egon pulled out the map and let him know they were still about 20 miles out. The conversation had woken Winston up, so they decided it was as good a time as any to talk about the job. 

       “According to the research Ray was able to do, the plantation, formally known as ‘Water’s End’, was built in the early 1700’s.”

       “Egon don’t you mean Waters Edge?” asked Winston.

       “No. It was owned by the Water family until about five years ago. Water’s End apparently refers to Jeremiah Water, the first member of the family to settle on the land. He was driven to financial ruin thanks to several straight years of bad crops. Mr. Water hung himself outside from the second story balcony. Ironically the plantation flourished in the following years until it became one of the largest producers of indigo and rice in the South. At their largest they had about 300 acres of rice fields alone.”

       “Do we know why they sold the property? I bet it got a sweet price,” Peter said.

       “Changes in agriculture and production I’m guessing. They weren’t making enough to keep up the expense,” answered Ray. “E, tell them about the buildings.”

       “Total there are 23 separate buildings on the current plantation. Along with the main house there’s a secondary home, an independent kitchen, 5 slave quarters, a blacksmith, 2 barns, stables enough for 15 horses, and a guest house with 8 bedrooms. There’s also a medium sized church complete with graveyard.”

       Peter whistled appreciatively. 

       “Yeah that would cost a dollar or two to keep going. What do we know about Perkins?”

       “Mr. Randolph Perkins. Development mogul. He’s the founder and CEO of Haven Properties. They own...well they own a lot. Company worth is approaching 1 billion in assets worldwide, while Mr. Perkins has about 100 million in personal property. He purchased the plantation from the Water family directly, but only recently has decided to do anything with it ”

       “Do we know what ‘it’ is?” asked Winston.

       “I’ve been able to gather a little information on that. From what he says he wants to restore the plantation to its heyday and turn it into a tourist attraction. Gone with the Wind was mentioned several times, so I imagine it would be similar to Colonial Williamsburg. There have been a few newspaper articles from Charleston about it, but you’d think there would be more considering the scope of the project.”

       “Good job Eggy. Remind me to add a few zeros to their bill,” Peter smirked as the Ecto pulled off the interstate. 

 

       The next morning dawned clear and bright. The boys were packed and ready to roll to make their 2pm appointment. The inn’s owners, a sweet couple who were well into their retirement years, made them breakfast and lunch for the road. They also secured a promise from Winston that they would stay again on their way back to New York. 

       “You softie. All she had to do was pinch your cheeks and you would have moved the world for them,” joked Peter.

       “You know me and little old ladies. Every since one reminds me of grandma,” Winston replied, sliding in behind the steering wheel. “We ready?”

       “Let’s roll! I can’t wait to see this place!”

       “Yes Ray, we know. Wake me when we get to something interesting.” Peter leaned against the window, sleeping before they even made it a mile. 

       “I think I’m a little jealous of his ability to sleep like that,” Winston commented. 

       “It’s a skill,” agreed Ray, pulling another comic out to read. Egon simply grunted from the backseat. Winston smiled and turned the radio up a bit. 

 

       Several hours later the Ecto-1 was gliding down a freshly paved road deep in the woods. They had left the interstate some time ago at a town called Walterboro. As soon as they left ‘civilization’ the scenery became giant oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. The azalea's were still in bloom along with a magnolia tree or two. Ray rolled down his window, allowing in a myriad of smells. The air was sweet and faint with the promise of humidity in the coming days. He took in a deep breath, practically sticking his head out the window like an eager puppy. 

       “Do you smell this? It’s incredible!” he exclaimed over the sound of rushing air. Everything looked amazing to him. The trees were beyond green and exploded with every color of the rainbow. Sunlight filtered through the ancient trees making everything sparkle. Spring was always the best time for the South. 

       “Ok Tex get back in the car before you get hit with a tree branch,” Peter grumped. He didn’t care about the beauty of the landscape, and being trapped in the car for two days wasn’t helping things. 

       Ray reluctantly settled down, but didn’t roll up his window. 

       “How much further?”

       “Not too much longer. According to the directions Mr. Perkins' assistant gave Janine we should see a dirt road with a gate over it on the left,” replied Egon. 

       “I think I see it,” said Winston. Just ahead and on the left was a clearing with a massive wrought iron gate across the entrance to the plantation. There was a guard house stationed just inside the gate. It would have been a quiet unassuming entrance if it wasn’t for the crowd of protesters on the left side side of the dirt road with a woman leaning on a banged up red car on the right. The protesters were sitting quietly until they saw Ecto rolling up. The group of about 20 rose to their feet and started chanting while waving signs in the air. The people cried ‘Keep History Alive’ while the signs read different variations of the same thing. They didn’t look angry. In truth they looked like concerned college students and a teacher or two. The fact that there were no news crews was telling. Either this had been going on for so long it wasn’t news anymore, or someone knew how to keep the press quiet.  

       The lady by the car told a different tale. She was on the high side of pleasantly plump and would be considered a nerd by most. Her long mousy-brown hair was in a ponytail, and she had on a pair of thick black men’s glasses that kept sliding down her nose. She was wearing a red t-shirt that said ‘Jones BBQ’ that was cut low and jean shorts. She was also scowling so hard her mouth looked more like a muppet than human. 

       As the Ecto pulled up the guys could see numerous armed guards, including a very tall and thin one in a different uniform from the others. According to their body language they were in a stand-off. As soon as the wagon stopped she walked over to them, standing beside Ray’s open window. He was instantly enthralled. 

       “I guess Little Lord Asshole called in the big guns.” It was hardly the Southern greeting anyone expected. Ray awkwardly smiled.

       “Um, yes?” 

       “I’m also guessing he didn’t tell you what exactly is going on here.” 

       A guard on the other side of the gate yelled at them over the chanting protesters. 

       “Hey! Bitchtits! You know the rules. I WILL call the cops on your punk ass again without hesitation!”

       “Suck my dick! You remind Lurch he can’t bust me unless I’m within three feet of the gate!”

       Peter signaled Egon to roll down his window. 

       “Your lovers quarrel is cute and all but do you have a point?”

       She leaned over, her impressive bosom straining against the shirt. Egon tried not to look but Peter openly ogled her. 

       “I do. If you don’t want to fuck this up and ruin a lot of lives I suggest you come find me after that dickless wonder feeds you his bullshit.”

       She stood and fished a card from her pocket. She was about to hand it to Egon, but changed her mind and gave it to Ray instead. When he looked up he saw that she was smiling. With all of her anger gone her face was transformed to one of soft cuteness and wit. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she focused on him. 

       “You look like a man who would appreciate home cooking. Come down to my restaurant. My treat.”

       She winked as she gave him the card, then turned to the guard to flip him off. The guard fumed but didn’t reply. The woman got in her car and left, Def Leppard blasting out her open windows. As Ray watched her go Peter snagged the card from his hand.

       “Jones Family BBQ, a Charleston tradition. Guess she works there. Well not that I’m keen on her idea of a hello, but food does sound good.”

       “She has pretty eyes,” 

       “Uh oh, sounds like we lost Ray,” chuckled Winston. 

       “I always knew it would be a big set of tits that stole his heart,” Peter replied, sighing wistfully as he remembered the sight from just moments ago. 

       By this time the guards had gotten the gate open for them and was waving them through. The protesters made no move to enter the plantation but kept repeating their call to action over and over. Winston rolled forward until he could speak to the head guy without yelling. True to the woman’s insult, the man topped out somewhere at 7 feet tall. He only bent over slightly to speak to Winston in a dry monotone voice. 

       “Follow the road until it splits. Take the right fork to the end. The big white building with the porch is the guest house. Ms. Simmons will meet you there. I also highly recommend you do not mention what happened before you entered. Mr. Perkins doesn’t care for Ms. Jones and her wild ideas.”

       “Sure man. Thanks,”

       Ecto rolled forward at a safe pace. Just as the bumper of the trailer crossed the property line numerous loud bangs and thumps rang out. The protesters all ducked and screamed, unsure of what made the noise. Winston however knew exactly what had happened. He cursed and jumped out of the car. Confirming his suspicion, all four tires as well as the tires on the trailer had blown out spectacularly. As he inspected them he noticed small metal caltrops stuck in the rubber and scattered all over the dirt path. The other thing that caught his attention was that the road had clearly been used frequently over the last few weeks by very heavy vehicles. There were deep ruts from constant travel gouged into the road. He was about the tell the guys when the head guard addressed him.  

       “I apologize sir. I guess the ghosts aren’t terribly keen on your presence,” said ‘Lurch’. 

       “Or someone should be busted for littering.” Winston showed him the caltrops. The guard’s expression hardened. 

       “No one gets past me. It had to be the ghosts. I have over 30 armed men patrolling these grounds. We’ve had similar problems with construction vehicles, but not personal ones...at least not until now.”

       By now the others were out of Ecto and checking the damage. 

       “Pretty sure ghosts don’t use traps, but ok. Any suggestions?” asked Peter.

       “Our maintenance crew doesn’t work on the weekend. If you’re willing to wait until Monday they can replace the tires for you. I can also get a golf cart over here in about ten minutes.”

       “I guess that will have to do. Ok guys, let’s grab what we need.”

 

       While they waited for the cart they pushed Ecto out of the road. Not even unloading it and getting help from a spare guard or two made it a simple job. The trailer was only minimally lighter. In the end only their equipment (minus the containment unit) and luggage was loaded on to the golf cart. It was easier for them to walk since they didn’t have to haul anything. It also gave them a chance to look at the plantation, at least in part. The well-used dirt road was lined with precisely planted oak trees so old that the sky could barely be seen through their leaves. The land was in desperate need of attention. Grass and bushes grew wild everywhere. Winston was pretty sure he saw a maze garden that was so filled in it might not be worth saving. Still, the place had a beauty to it that was easy to see. A person could almost feel the age of the land and imagine southern royalty strolling along the neglected paths, even with the frequent patrols they came across.  

       “Janine would like it here,” Egon said almost to himself. 

       “You bet she would. We’d have to find space in Ecto for all the plants she’d bring back,” Winston agreed. 

       Eventually the road forked as promised. Winston pointed out that the left road was where the heavy vehicles were going. From where they stood they couldn’t see what was being done, but the clear-cutting of the proud oaks was a big enough sign that something major was going on. However now wasn’t the time to play detective. They moved on and soon enough the guest house loomed before them. It was a wide and high two story building with a porch and balcony running the full length of the front. Rocking chairs and wicker benches sat rotting in the sun as paint peeled from the siding. It wasn’t quite at the point where demolition was the only option, but it was in desperate need of attention. 

       “I’m surprised they haven’t done any repairs yet,” said Ray as they wearily climbed the porch steps. 

       “Maybe they’re waiting for us to clean it out first?” Winston mused. 

       “You are correct, for the most part.”

       A severe looking woman stepped out the front door. She was wearing a dark gray pant suit and carried a clipboard. Her hair was pulled back into a tight no nonsense bun. 

       “I’m Erica Simmons, Mr. Perkins' assistant. I’m glad you were able to come so quickly.”

       “When money talks, we listen.”

       Egon shot Peter a nasty look, but the man ignored it.

       “So tell Dr. V about the problem.”

       “It’s problems. Plural. We have numerous haunted sites here which are interfering with our work. Machinery is breaking down, workers are refusing to come back, supplies are disappearing. It’s putting our plans behind schedule. Mr. Perkins doesn’t care for delays.”

       “What exactly are his plans?” Ray asked.

       Ms. Simmons looked down her nose at him despite the fact he was at least a foot taller than her.

       “Mr. Perkins wants to turn this area into a working plantation geared to tourism.”

       “Then why is he cutting down the oaks? Those trees are hundreds of years old. You can’t just replace them overnight,” asked Egon. Peter was pretty sure he was channeling Janine.

       “I’m sure it has to do with the construction plans. Mr. Perkins knows absolutely everything that goes on here. They wouldn’t have removed them if he didn’t clear it.”

       Her tone strongly hinted that it was a good idea to drop the subject.

       “We should do a sweep now before we get settled. Besides you know how Pete gets when he doesn’t get his beauty sleep.” Ray was only kind of joking, which is why Peter only kind of hit him. Ms. Simmons smiled slightly. 

       “The cart with your things is behind the house. Feel free to use it since your car is out of commission. Here is my contact information. Let me know if you need anything. Now if you’ll pardon me...” Ms. Simmons handed Egon her card, quickly leaving as if something was nipping at her heels. 

 

       An hour later they had gone through every room in the guest house. It came up completely clean. It also gave them a chance to see their rooms. Thankfully even though the outside was a mess, the inside was more than tidy. Shabby, but tidy. 

       “Ok boys, let’s relax and let’s meet up in two hours. I need a shower and a nap.” 

       Everyone agreed with Peter’s idea. Between the long car ride, the walk, and the quickly increasing heat they were all getting sweaty and tired. 

       Winston headed off to a room on the end that he had claimed as soon as he saw it. It was smaller than the others, but had two giant windows with the bed in the cross breeze. He opened both windows up and was glad to see the sheer curtains dancing in the air. It, like the others, had its own private bathroom. Again it was small, but Winston was happy so long as the shower worked. Once he was under the hot spray he felt every muscle in his back unclench. He was on edge but he wasn’t sure why. He’d been on scarier busts, but he felt that maybe the combination of a strange place and the odd situation was stressing him out. The water was loud enough that he didn’t hear the whispered hiss of a voice float through the bathroom. 

 

       About twenty minutes later Winston stepped out of the shower. The room was filled with steam from the hot water, fogging up the mirror. He was about to wipe it clean so he could shave when he noticed a message written on it. 

       “Please? That’s an odd warning.” He shrugged and finished getting ready. 

 

       A little over two hours later he and Ray were sitting on the front porch. Two of the rockers seemed strong enough to hold them, so they sat and relaxed while waiting for Peter and Egon. 

       “This is one heck of a view. A man could get used to this.” Winston said, enjoying the rhythmic creaking of the rockers. 

       “Same. It feels like another country, not just another state.”

       Ray closed his eyes, smiling. 

       “Thinking about that woman? She sure seemed to like you.”

       “Heh yeah. She’s a charmer,” he chuckled. “Normally I wouldn’t go for someone so blunt, but it seems to work for her. And that smile…”

       “I saw. It was like the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.” 

       Just then Egon and Peter came outside arguing. 

       “Spengs I know what I saw.”

       “The PKE meter doesn’t lie.”

       “I’m not saying it did but it was there clear as day.”

       “What’s wrong guys?” Ray asked. 

       “Something was written on my mirror when I got out of the shower,” Peter snapped, “but Egon says it can’t be spectral.” 

       “The PKE meter…”

       “Egon,” interrupted Winston, “There was something written on my mirror too.”

       “...oh.”

       “Yes oh,” Peter crossed his arms. “Ray was there anything on your mirror?” 

       Ray looked a little sheepish. “Maybe? I only took a warm shower so there wasn’t much steam.”

       Peter sighed. “Let’s go see these mirrors.”

 

       After checking the bathrooms they felt it was a good idea to do another full sweep. Winston also had the brilliant idea of calling out for Chinese food. It took some doing to find a place that would deliver to the back-end of nowhere, but finally they did after promising a ruinous tip. While they waited they split up into two teams, checking every room then heading outside. The sun was low enough that the trees blocked what little light was left. Egon took some readings but ultimately decided there wasn’t anything to pick up in the vicinity. 

 

       “Alright so we have ‘please’, ‘destroy’, ‘don’t’, and ‘help’. I can’t say that makes much sense coming from a ghost,” said Ray through a mouthful of rice. 

       “It could be ‘please help don’t destroy’,” offered Egon. “Pass the egg rolls please.”

       “But don’t destroy what? The ghosts or the land?”

       “What do you mean Winston?”

       “This setup stinks. What’s the all of the security? I’ve been on construction sites before. Unless they’re plating everything with gold there’s no reason to have this many men with guns here,” Winston said. “Whatever it is they’re doing it’s massive. If this is supposed to be a high-end renovation they’re doing it all wrong. It feels more like a demolition.”

       “So you think the spirits are upset at the changes? That’s pretty stereotypical,” Peter huffed. “Next you’ll tell us there’s been disturbed graves and possessions.”

       “It’s a stereotype for a reason,” Egon pointed out. “However there’s nothing more we can do tonight. I suggest we all get to bed early and get started at first light.”

       Peter disagreed highly, but he was outvoted.

       “Fine, but whoever gets up first has to make coffee.”


	2. Spanish moss, BBQ, and Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As more is revealed about the job, more questions arise. Why are there no PKE readings? Who is destroying the construction site? Why is Miss Jones so determined to get the guys to help her?

**Chapter Two**

 

       The next morning Egon was sitting at the kitchen table in full gear waiting for the others to wake up. Coffee was already going, and he had found what he assumed were provisions that Ms. Simmons had left for them. He made a mental note that they would need to go food shopping at some point soon since there was only enough for breakfast and lunch. Egon hoped that one of the guards could either lend them a car or drive them to town. 

       “Hey Egon. Sleep well?” asked Winston when he walked in. He headed straight for the steaming pot of black brew. 

       “Well enough. There’s eggs and toast.”

       “And coffee,” Winston hummed, sipping his morning elixir reverently. 

       “That too,” Egon said with a snort. 

       A few minutes later Ray joined them. It was then that Egon noticed that both men were wearing shorts and t-shirts instead of their usual jumpsuits. 

       “We did agree to go out today, correct?”

       “Yeah Iggy. What’s up?”

       “You’re not...dressed.”

       Ray was confused at first, but soon enough he got what Egon was saying. 

       “There’s no way I’m going outside in full kit. It’s too hot and we have too far to walk. You might want to think about putting on something cooler too.”

       “I’d rather say in uniform. Just in case.”

       Ray and Winston shared a look but didn’t argue. 

 

       When 8am hit and Peter still wasn’t up the guys decided to go ahead and start exploring the plantation. It wasn’t worth fighting to get the last Buster up, plus he would be grumpy till at least noon. They left him a note on the coffee pot and headed out. After a detour to the guard house to get a map of the property, the guys headed to the construction site in the golf cart. During the drive they passed three patrols, two in carts and one on foot. 

       “I really don’t understand this. It’s unnecessary,” Ray commented. “I get trying to keep people out but this is insane.” 

       “If it really is industrial espionage then they’re probably trying to keep any more equipment from getting damaged.” 

       “I know you’re right E, but geez…”

       When they made it to the construction site it was clear that the extra guards were needed. It looked more like a battlefield. Ray counted 7 large vehicles, from backhoes to bulldozers, all of them in various states of destruction. Several were burned out husks, others had blown tires and ripped out engines. Winston figured that the damage was easily over a million dollars. 

       They split up, Egon going one way with his PKE meter, while Ray headed off with his Ecto-goggles. Winston looked at each vehicle to see if he could figure out what had caused it all. After nearly two hours of investigating they came up with nothing spectral. 

       “Winston did you have better luck?” asked Egon.

       “Yeah I did. It’s obvious that a human is the cause of what happened here. There’s no way a ghost could have done this. I’ve found bolt cutters and tools where they don’t belong, discarded gas canisters, the works. It’s odd though…”

       “What is it?”

       “It almost feels staged. There’s no evidence that the police have been here. They’ve got to have insurance, and if you’re going to make a claim of this size you need a police report at the very least.”

       “So you think this is fake?” asked Ray. He looked over the site with new eyes. It did look a little too much like a movie set now that he had been clued in. 

       “I’d be surprised if it wasn’t. Plus, look at the ground. They haven’t done anything with this stuff. The tracks go from the entrance gate and stop right here.”

       “Maybe this was where they’re storing it?” suggested Egon. Winston shook his head.

       “This stuff eats diesel. They’d want to keep it on site to save money. No guys, this smells funky.”

       “Agreed. Should we go look at the church?” 

       “Yeah then we should head back and see if Pete’s up.”

 

       Map in hand they drove to the church. It was in the back of the property and set deep in the woods. The drive was pleasant, almost relaxing. They could hear birds twittering happily as the wind blew softly. Dappled sunlight was scattered over the road, making the forest look like it was under water. It was dreamy until they reached the clearing where the church should have been.

       “What the hell?” Winston stopped the cart in the middle of the road, just yards from a giant 8 foot chain link fence. It was covered with a dark blue plastic to prevent anyone from looking in. The only thing they could see was the steeple peeking up in the distance. Ray got out and tried to find a way in but the area was sealed tight. Egon took readings however the meter didn’t beep once. 

       “Sure it’s not broken?” Winston joked. Egon gave him a bland look. “Ok sorry,” he chuckled. “So what do you want to do? We could try to hop the fence.”

       “No,” said Egon. “If we’re not getting any readings then it doesn’t make sense to trespass. This area was blocked off for a reason.”

       “Maybe the church is in so much disrepair it’s a hazard?” suggested Ray.

       “Perhaps,” Egon said. “For now let’s get back to the house and see if Peter is ready to join the living.”

 

       Egon was clearly frustrated. Peter could tell from from his seat on the front porch that his friend was fuming even though he looked calm. The cart rolled up and parked at the base of the steps. Ray and Winston got out, putting their packs and equipment on the seats. Egon remained seated, staring at his PKE meter like it could speak if he just concentrated enough. Peter waved idly at the others as he walked down to talk to Egon. 

       “Ok Big Brain. Spill.”

       “It doesn’t make any sense!” Egon’s exclamation echoed slightly in the silence. Peter patted him on the shoulder. 

       “I figured but there’s no need to shout. Talk it out to your pal Venkman.”

       Egon went over their findings, from the burned out equipment to the lack of spirit energies. Peter nodded at the right times, humming or commenting as needed but he wasn’t really paying attention. He had already decided that this job was a dud but until the rest of the team was convinced of the same it wouldn’t make a difference. 

       “...that’s why it’s statistically impossible.”

       “Sorry run that by me one more time?”

       Egon sighed but repeated himself.

       “For an area to be this inhabited for this long, with a checkered past and multiple on-site deaths there should be something here, malicious or not. All the way from New York to here I was getting something on the meter. It’s like as soon as we entered the property everything went quiet.”

       Peter thought about it for a moment. 

       “Our tires blew as soon as we crossed the threshold. It’s an odd coincidence. Sure there were caltrops, but someone would either have to be very brave or very stupid to use them right in front of the guards.”

       Egon nodded, taking off his pack and putting it on the cart’s seat like the others. “There’s more here. I can feel it.”

       Peter’s stomach decided right then was the time to rumble loudly.

       “The only thing I’m feeling is hunger pains. Come on, let’s see if someone has a car we can borrow. We’ll hit the town.”

 

       All it took was a quick call to Ms. Simmons to have a town car brought to their door. Soon enough they were cruising down back roads to what the guys hoped was somewhere they could eat. They didn’t even make it a mile before signs for Jones BBQ popped up beside the road. Ray was ecstatic. 

       “Let’s go!”

       “Of course you want to go there Ray. Tits,” Peter quipped, grinning. 

       “Does that mean you’re good with BBQ too?” asked Winston, doing his best not to roll his eyes.

       “Big tits. So yes I’m in. Egon?”

       “Fine.”

       Winston pulled into the parking lot of Jones BBQ. Since it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner the place was practically deserted. The only thing of note was a stripped van painted to look like the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo. The tires were flat and the doors were missing, but it was clean and was probably used to keep kids happy while their parents ate. 

       “Are we sure it’s open? This is just a shack,” Peter complained. “I hope the health inspector isn’t on the take…”

       “There’s an A rating on the door. Relax! Besides, can’t you smell that?” Ray closed his eyes and took a deep sniff. “It smells like heaven!” 

       “Smells like meat to me,” Winston replied. 

       “Exactly!”

       They headed in and were slapped with the cloud of delicious scents that Ray had already detected. The place was a spotless hole in the wall. Every counter gleamed and there was a slight tinge of lemon in the air just under the heady scent of slow cooked meat. There were a number of well laid out tables and booths, with a long counter in the back separating the dining room from the kitchen. Even with just a quick glance you could tell that the kitchen was as ruthlessly clean as the rest of the place. Winston headed for a five top table and was just sitting when a man at the counter called out.

       “We don’t do table service till dinner. You’ll have to come up here to place your order.”

       “Excuse me sir. A lady we met said we should come see her. She’s...uh…” Ray couldn’t figure out how to describe her without being accidentally insulting.

       “Foul-mouthed, fat, and bossy?” asked the employee.

       “Don’t forget big boobs,” Peter added.

       The man laughed. 

       “Yeah she’s got those too.” He turned around and hollered into the back of the kitchen. “Hey! Freddie! Those guys you were talking about are here!”

       “Thanks.”

       “No problem. Go ahead and have a seat. She’ll take care of you.”

       The boys joined Winston at the table. They didn’t have long to wait before Freddie came out to sit with them. She was wearing similar clothes as before, except now it included an apron that covered her cleavage. Peter didn’t bother hiding his disappointment. 

       “Hey y’all. I’m glad you showed up. Good timing too since it’s slow. What can I get ‘cha?”

       “There aren’t any menus,” pointed out Egon. Freddie rolled her eyes playfully. 

       “I’ll handle it. What do you want to drink? We have coke products, cheerwine, squirt, and tea.”

       They all ordered coke since it was the only thing that was remotely familiar. She grabbed the drinks, then disappeared into the kitchen. She returned about 15 minutes later with a giant tray of food.

       “Here we go, the Yankee special for four. I also brought a pitcher of tea in case you wanted to go full Southern.” 

       She laid a massive plate in front of each of them, filled with BBQ, ribs, potato salad, rice with hash, and mac-n-cheese. There was also a basket overflowing with biscuits, cornbread, and sliced white bread. For herself she had a piece of fried flounder that took up half the plate and red rice and sausage. Ray tucked in immediately, humming with delight. He was nearly half-way done when the rest were barely started. Freddie looked on, her eyes twinkling. 

       “Do you like it?”

       Ray nodded as he shoveled more food into his mouth.

       “It’s amazing! I’ve never had this kind of BBQ sauce before.”

       “It’s South Carolina style. Almost everyone else uses tomato base, but we use mustard. Here, try some tea.”

       She poured him a big glass over ice. He eagerly gulped half of it down in one go. His eyes popped open wide as he did.

       “How much sugar is in this??” Egon’s attention snapped to the pitcher.

       “Not much, but if you’re only used to unsweet then it give you a heck of a jolt.”

       Freddie noticed Egon eyeing the drink and poured him one. He took a tentative sip, then drained the glass.

       “More?” He nodded. “I’m glad you like it.”

       “Egon likes anything that will put him into a sugar coma,” Winston said between bites.

       “Is all the food down here like this?” Peter asked as he shoveled more beans into his mouth. “I can’t stop eating.”

       “No. Occasionally we’ll have a vegetable or two. I can get you seconds if you want.” Freddie offered with a smile.

       “Yes please!” they said in unison. 

 

       After seconds (and even thirds for Ray), the guys were as full and happy as cats. 

       “So now that we’re all stuffed silly, I’d like to talk to you about what’s going on with Perkins and the land.”

       “When a lovely lady buys me dinner I’m compelled to listen. Knock yourself out,” said Peter as he leaned back in his chair. 

       Freddie took a long sip from her tea, then began her story. 

       “My name if Fredrick Jones. Yes it’s a boy’s name and yes I know it’s the same as that idiot from the cartoon about the kids who solve mysteries. I don’t have to ask if you saw the Mystery Machine out front. Dad was obsessed with the show, and since Mom said he could name me he went with that. Personally I would have preferred Velma since we both rock the nerd look, but honestly either way I’d be screwed.”

       “I always thought Velma was the best,” said Ray. He immediately blushed and tried to cover it up by taking a drink but it backfired when he swallowed wrong. Winston slapped him on the back as Ray coughed. Freddie just smiled and handed him a napkin. 

       “Water’s End is...was my home. I’m the last child that was born there. My mother was a Water and she inherited the land, which was then shared with Dad when they married. It was supposed to come to me when they passed, but...well let’s just say that my dad, bless his heart, had dreams bigger than his bank account. When that giant dicklord Perkins came sniffing around Dad started working on a deal to sell the land. I guess Dad thought that since I wasn’t a guy I couldn’t handle running things.”

       She looked down at her glass and sighed. 

       “It doesn’t matter why he did what he did. What does matter is that Perkins stole my family’s land. He plans on turning it into a theme park, hence the protesters you saw when you arrived. What’s funny is that the guy hasn’t been back since he stole the place. The park plans are public knowledge but no one will listen to me about the theft because I don’t have physical proof. I know it’s true though. Mom would never let anyone have the land who didn’t belong there. I need your help proving that he’s a thief.”

       Peter ran a hand through his hair. 

       “That’s...uh….that’s not really what we do. We catch ghosts, not crooks. Besides if your dad was making a deal, who’s to say Perkins isn’t on the up and up?”

       “Because my parents were killed in a car crash without signing the paperwork,” Freddie said bluntly. “Mom and I had convinced Dad it was a bad idea, not that he could have done it without Mom’s approval with the lawyers. He phoned Perkins two days before and called off the deal. Perkins had them killed then forged their signatures.”

       “That’s a pretty big accusation…” started Winston, but Freddie cut him off. 

       “It’s not an accusation. It’s fact. I don’t have the proof but it is.”

       “And how exactly do you think we can help?” Peter asked. “You’re putting us in an awkward position. Perkins is paying us to get rid of some ghosts, assuming we can find them, while you’re asking us to do something shady for free.”

       Freddie’s eyes lit up. 

       “You haven’t picked up any activity on the plantation? Not even a little twinge?”

       The sudden change in conversation had the guys sitting up a little straighter. 

       “That’s right. Does it mean something?” asked Egon.

       She was silent for a moment, as if she was having an internal debate. Finally she took a deep breath and spoke. 

       “Probably, but I don’t know exactly what that is. Honestly I wouldn’t say the plantation is haunted in the traditional sense. More like it has a guardian. When I was a kid I could sit on the porch and feel it as they wandered the grounds. It’s like that for all the Water women who are born on the land. Either way I can tell you for sure that there is something there, and if the stories my grandmother told me are true, it can be very hostile, especially to men.”

       “I’m betting you’re about to tell us a long story,” Winston sighed. 

       “No. I don’t feel like it, and honestly I’m not sure it would change anything. Cliff’s notes version: I’m connected to the plantation. The only problem is my bond ends at the property line, or at least that’s what I thought for a long time. However about a week before you showed up I could feel something was wrong, but I’m banned from the property. I guess I should be grateful Perkins’ goons gave me enough time to pack before throwing me out...”

       Freddie looked at Ray, her eyes swimming with tears of frustration. A strange, tense feeling swept over the table like a fog, chilling the team. Ray could swear the lights in the restaurant dimmed slightly. Even the sounds around them seemed to fade.

       “Please. Please help me. I have to get back. It’s like part of my soul is missing. I need to reclaim my family’s land. I need to be whole again. I can’t do it without you.”

       She put a hand on his arm. Ray flinched because her touch was ice cold. He looked quickly from her to Egon, who already had his PKE meter out. As soon as he switched it on the needle went wild. Ray could tell from the beeps and chirps that it was picking up something more than just background noise. 

       “Are you a ghost?” he asked seriously.

       “No,” she said, tears finally falling. “Not today at least.” 

       Freddie let go of Ray’s arm. In a rush everything returned to normal. She stood and attempted to regain some dignity as she wiped away the tears.

       “Look, it’s fine if you won’t help me, but at least keep your eyes open. Perkins is a liar, a killer, and a fucking asshole of grand proportions. Don’t believe anything he tells you because he'll sell his own soul to make a buck. Hopefully karma will be enough to put that twat waffle in place.” She paused. “Thanks for listening.”

       “I wish we could do more,” Ray said sincerely. He stood, the guys following his lead. “We’ve got to get back. Dinner was amazing.”

       Freddie gave him a dazzling smile. 

       “Thanks! Feel free to come back any time, on the house.”

       “I don’t know what you’re doing to make your boss cool with you giving away food all the time, but I’m ok with it,” Peter said. “Especially with the way Ray eats.”

       Freddie rolled her eyes.

       “For a doctor you’re pretty dumb.”

       Peter went from ‘haha’ to ‘oh no she didn’t!’ in seconds. Winston put a hand on his shoulder preemptively. 

       “Can you clarify that?” he asked. 

       “Jones BBQ? Freddie Jones?”

       She looked back and forth at their blank stares and sighed.

       “I own the place you morons. Dad started it up and Mom used to come here all the time for dinner. That’s how they met. When they died I took it over. Now it’s one of the top ranked joints in the South. I’ve even been written up in the Zagat guide.”

       She was clearly proud of herself and had every right to be. By the time the guys were done eating the early dinner crowd had descended. Every table was full and to-go orders were flying out the door.

       “Don’t be a stranger,” she said to Ray and got on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I like a guy with a healthy appetite.”

       Ray turned ten shades of red before mumbling something incomprehensible. 

       “That’s ‘good night’ in Ray speak,” joked Peter as he steered the younger Buster out the door. Egon and Winston waved good-bye and left with the others. Freddie stood in the middle of the chaotic dining room, eyes lingering on the door they just walked out of, and tried not to cry again. 

 

       Before heading home, food shopping was required. The guys were standing in the checkout line of the local Piggly Wiggly when a young man in his early 20’s ran up to them excitedly. 

       “Hey! The Ghostbusters!!” He was waving around a newspaper as he fanboyed. “I’d recognize you even out of uniform. I’ve been waiting around all day to meet you! Can you sign my newspaper?”

       He thrust the paper at Egon with a pen. Before Egon could do anything Peter snatched the paper out of his hands. 

       “Let’s see…The Courier says...’Ghostbusters in town! The world renowned Ghostbusters of New York are in town to investigate Water’s End. The plantation, a historical landmark, is going to be a’ blah blah blah...Ok listen to this. ‘Randolph Perkins, owner of Water’s End, says that with the Ghostbusters on the job there’s no question that the grounds are haunted. With this bold statement it’s assured that the theme park will be a tremendous success. When asked if the Ghostbusters will be removing the ghosts Mr. Perkins said “Of course not! They’re simply here to confirm what we all already know. When the park opens all of the ghosts will be right where they are now. Disney’s Haunted Mansion will look like a cheap Halloween prank compared to what we’ll have.”’ Huh.”

       Peter quietly folded the paper, signed it, and handed it to the next man. Down the line it went till it was back in the hands of the fan. He thanked them eagerly, darting off into the early evening. Winston and Egon silently gathered up their purchases. Ray spotted a line of newspaper boxes along the far wall by the exit. He purchased one of same paper the fan had as well as a copy of the Evening Post. Both papers had the Ghostbusters on the front page with pictures from the day they arrived. It was mostly of them arriving in Ecto, but the Evening Post also had a shot of Winston checking out the car’s blown tires. Judging from the angle Ray surmised that one of the protesters (or a reporter posing as one) had taken the pictures. 

       “Ray?”

       He looked up and spotted Egon by the exit. Grabbing the papers, he trotted over and left with him. 

 

       No one had said a word for the entire ride back to the plantation. Not even the guards who checked their car “as a formality” tried to have a conversation. It was as if they could feel the unease surrounding the Busters. Peter was especially caustic. Egon could feel the rage surging from him like a strong gust of wind. 

       Winston rolled down the dirty road slowly, headlights on high. Even though it wasn’t that late, without any ambient light from other sources the road was pitch black. The bright beams made stark shadows on the trees and bushes. Far off in the distance something orange and vibrant caught his eye, but it was too far and too obstructed by nature to see clearly. As the got closer the smell of burnt rubber and electronics poisoned the air. Egon put it together seconds before the others. 

       “Winston! The packs!”

       The town car flew down the road, catching a little bit of air as it hit bumps. The orange glow grew details as the car sped to it. The rank smell was choking as Winston pulled up beside the blaze. The golf cart they had used earlier and had kept their packs on was now a fiery pyre. There was no point in trying to save anything. Despite the fact that the fire clearly hadn’t been burning for long, it was so hot that everything was destroyed before they arrived. Electronics popped and whined as the flames ate them. Egon and Ray watched in horror as their hard work melted into a toxic sludge. Winston, quick on his feet, grabbed a hose from the side of the house and doused the fire. A number of things objected to the sudden temperature change, shooting sparks as the water hit them. Peter ran inside, presumably to check on the equipment that was (hopefully) still there.

       “Good thing we put that casing around the nuclear bits huh?” Ray mumbled to Egon as he watched the packs sizzle and smoke. He dumbly nodded, unable to do more than scream internally. It would be hours before anything was cool enough to touch. Until Egon could visually confirm that nothing was about to blow he would be on edge. 

       “Everything inside looks untouched,” Peter said as he quickly walked down the porch steps. 

       “What does that leave us?” asked Ray.

       “One pack, two traps, Egon’s favorite PKE meter, and the spare Goggles.” 

       “That’s not much to work with,” sighed Winston as he turned the hose off. 

       “Then we know what step one is,” Peter said.

       “What’s step one?” Egon asked.

       “One. We get Janine down here with our spares, the sooner the better.”

       “And step two?”

       Peter stared at the burned out mess that was his life’s work. 

       “We get that shit-stain Perkins here and find out what the hell he threw us into.”


	3. A Long Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine brings gear and questions. Freddie brings BBQ and answers.

**Chapter Three**

 

       While Egon was on the phone with Janine, the others gathered in the kitchen to discuss what happened and how to proceed. 

       “Let’s make sure we’re all in agreement. One, Perkins hired us to clear destructive ghosts off his land,” Peter said while he sat at the table. 

       “And it's a complete lie. The only things we’ve seen so far are man made, including our packs getting torched,” said Winston. 

       “Are you sure?” Ray asked. He was already taking apart one of the packs at the sink even though it was still hot to the touch. 

       “There’s no way our packs would burn that fast without accelerant. I’m almost positive I smelled gasoline, and since the cart was electric there’s no reason for it to be there.”

       Peter nodded in agreement. 

       “Two. Freddie Jones was thrown off her family land and claims to have a spiritual bond with it. She also claims that something is disturbed but can’t or won’t clarify.”

       “Eh, I’m not sure I believe that. We have no way of verifying it right now, and she conveniently isn’t allowed on the property.”

       “I don’t think I agree with Winston. You can’t deny what happened in the restaurant. We even have PKE readings to back it up,” Ray said. “And she’s been more honest than Perkins.”

       “Can we agree to cautious believability?”

       Winston nodded yes as Egon walked in. Even though he still looked agitated over losing the packs, there was a distinct blush on his cheeks. 

       “Have a good chat with Janine?” Winston teased. 

       Egon blushed more, bolting over to Ray to try and escape the question.

       “Egon,” Peter had put on his best Dad voice. “What did the angry lady say?”

       “She’s coming down on the first flight in the morning with our spare pack, trap and another PKE meter. That’s all the FAA will allow. She’ll also need two seats since she can’t check the pack,” Egon said in a rush. “Ray let me help you…”

       Peter rolled his eyes. 

       “Then I guess it’s my turn.”

       He got up and headed to living room to call Ms. Simmons. Winston took up the conversation. 

       “Alright, so we know that Perkins is lying to us. There’s no evidence of ghosts, everything the ‘ghosts’ broke can be rationally explained, and those newspaper stories…”

       “I can't believe that guy!” Ray exclaimed, yelping as his lack of attention got him shocked. 

       “Both papers make it sound like we were never here to catch anything, but to just give Perkins’ project authenticity. Either he thinks we’re stupid enough to believe the show he put on for us is real, or shady enough to go with whatever he says. I think we should go to the media and blow this up in his face.”

       Ray stepped away from the pack before rejoining the conversation so he wouldn’t get shocked again.

       “I think we should wait. If we go to the media now all it will do is let everyone know there aren’t any ghosts here, but it won’t really change anything. Perkins will still build his park…”

       “Which I’m sure includes demolishing the historical buildings,” Winston added.

       “Yeah, and Freddie won’t get a shot at taking back what he stole.”

       “Are we really sure he stole it though?” asked Egon. “She could be just as deceptive as Perkins.”

       Ray shook his head.

       “No. No way. I trust her.”

       Egon and Winston traded looks but didn’t comment.

       “Guys I know you think I’m saying that because I like her, and I do! But...I just think she’s telling the truth. I want to help her.”

       Winston got up and patted Ray on the shoulder. 

       “I understand man. We’ll figure something out. For now I think we should get some sleep.”

       “One second Z,” Peter stalked into the kitchen, his boots hitting the floor so hard things shook a bit. He paced as he talked. “I just got off the phone with Ms. Simmons. The good news is she’s getting Janine her flight and arranging a car to bring her here from the airport, paid in full.”

       “And the bad news?”

       “Perkins is threatening non-payment because of our dinner with the delightful Miss Jones,” There was a feral gleam in Peter’s eyes. “He said that we were ‘consorting with the enemy’, which puts another point in Freddie’s favor.”

       “So is he coming?” Egon asked.

       “Yeah he’s coming. I had to threaten him a bit. Told him that we saw the articles about us and that we had found some ghosts. If he didn’t show tomorrow we’d do what we do best so his little pet project would be sans spirits. That shut him up damn fast.” 

       “I guess the fact that we don’t have any spooks on our radar is a minor detail,” said Winston, chuckling.

       “No one messes with my paycheck,” Peter said. “Ok boys, let’s hit the sack. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.”

 

       Bright and early the next morning Egon was sitting in the living room staring at the phone. When Ray came down for coffee he spotted the scientist, an empty cup of coffee, and completed crossword puzzles from all the papers they had bought the day before. 

       “Iggy? How long have you been sitting there?”

       “Since 5am. Peter didn’t say what time Janine was coming in, so I wanted to be ready to pick her up at the gate. I already got a new golf cart,” he said, never taking his eyes off the phone. 

       “E, I don’t think the phone is going to run away if you aren’t looking at it…”

       Just then the phone sprang to life. Egon snatched it up so quickly it didn’t finish its first ring. 

       “Yes?...Yes I’ll be right there.”

       Ray smiled as he watched Egon dart from the room and sprint to the cart. He wondered if Egon was ever going to admit how he felt for their office manager.

       “It would take a miracle,” he muttered with a grin.

 

       Janine stood several yards outside of the gate with her luggage, proton pack, and a cargo box with the trap and meter inside. Everything was piled at her feet while she engaged in a contest of  with the guard who was currently safe on the other side of the gate. 

       “Look you brain dead ape for hire. You need to let me in RIGHT NOW. It’s hot and I’m tired. If I have to stand here for one more second I’m going to…”

       The guard smirked and aimed his rifle at Janine to try and scare her into silence. To her credit she didn’t flinch, but instead stepped closer. 

       “Oooh big man with a gun. Scary. I’ve faced things you can’t even dream of pal so if you think you can threaten me you’ve got another thing coming.” Her glare was on full power. The smirk melted off his face as thoughts of self-preservation sunk in. He was seriously considering begging for mercy when Egon pulled up in the cart. 

       “Egon! Will you tell this ingrate that I’m supposed to be here??”

       Egon tried to keep from smiling as he nodded to the guard. The man, happy to be out of the line of fire, quickly opened up the gate and grabbed Janine’s luggage and the cargo box to load on the cart. Egon figured the guard wanted her gone as quickly as possible. 

       “How was your flight?” he asked as he picked up the pack and put it on. 

       “It was fine. Ms. Simmons sprung for first class. It would have been fabulous if I wasn’t so worn out. Getting up at 3 am is brutal. I must look like hell.” 

       He thought she looked lovely in her tight brown knee-length skirt and white silk shirt, but he didn’t tell her that. Janine looped her arm through his as they walked to the cart. As soon as they crossed the property line Janine wobbled, breathing heavily. Egon quickly grabbed her shoulders to steady her. 

       “Janine?”

       She was pale and sweating, her eyes unfocused. 

       “Janine?” Egon repeated. She looked like she was about to faint or throw up, possibly both.

       “I...I’m fine,” she shook her head a little and blinked rapidly. When she looked up at him her eyes were clear and alert. “High heels and soft ground don’t mix. I’m good.”

       He didn’t believe her for a moment. Her color was off, especially in the early heat of the day. He put an arm around her shoulder and slowly walked her the rest of the way to the golf cart, making sure she was safely seated before stowing the pack. On the drive to the guest house he went slowly, pointing out the interesting flora and fauna in an attempt to divert her attention while he watched her. By the time they pulled up to the house Janine appeared to be back to normal. Her face was flushed and she was laughing at Egon for trying to make a bad joke about ferns. 

       “Hey Red. Welcome to the party.” Peter was sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, a half-empty cup of coffee in his hand. 

       “You’re up early,” said Janine. She tried to help Egon with the luggage but he shooed her away. She grinned at his chivalry. “So what’s going on? Egon said something about the packs catching fire?”

       “Come sit next to me young one and I’ll tell you a tale.”

       Peter quickly filled her in as Egon hauled her stuff inside. 

       “So...Perkins is a giant liar, this Jones woman is a psychic or something, and instead of catching ghosts you guys are going to try and bring down a multi-millionaire with a private army in order to help some woman you just met?”

       “Well when you put it that way it just sounds crazy,” he replied with a snort.

       “That’s because it IS crazy Peter. What are you guys thinking? You should have left the moment you realized this was a setup!”

       Janine couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would have bugged out immediately. Instead her boys had a sudden urge to play detective. She mentally shook her head. It didn’t help that the moment she arrived she felt like she was being watched. It wasn’t in a ‘make your skin crawl’ kind of way, but it still left her wanting to look over her shoulder. The headache she was getting just added to the mix.

       “Look...what you’re doing is the right thing, but...I don’t know. It feels like the cops should be doing this. Anyway, I’m going to get a shower and a nap. Wake me when it’s lunch.”

       Peter and Egon watched her go. 

       “She’s right. This is crazy. We have no proof of anything either for or against Perkins, just hear-say. The police should be investigating this, not us. Are we doing the right thing Peter?”

       “Probably not, but you know I can’t resist a lady in distress. Plus I know you and Ray are drooling over this mystery.”

       Egon nodded in agreement.

       “It’s an intriguing conundrum. I just hope we get more clues soon.”

 

       Several hours later Winston knocked on Janine’s door. 

       “We’re going to lunch. You up?”

       He knocked again but there was no answer. He waited a moment and knocked again. Winston was about to open the door when Janine finally answered.

       “I’ll be right down,” she called through the door.

       Janine sat on the edge of the bed, listening to Winston’s retreating footsteps. She felt more tired than when she went to sleep, but she assumed it was because she had tried to sleep in a strange place at a time when she was usually up and working. As she changed into clothes better suited for the warm weather she ignored the urge to look around for the eyes watching her. 

       “I miss New York,” she mumbled.

 

       Jones BBQ was reasonably busy for a Monday afternoon. Despite the crowd they found an empty table. Winston and Peter went up to the counter to put in their order while the others sat. 

       “You’ll love it here. The food is amazing,” chirped Ray excitedly.

       “Try the sweet tea,” Egon suggested. 

       Janine nodded then yawned.

       “I think she needs coffee more than tea.”

       Freddie stood beside the table with a tray of drinks, including the famed sweet tea. Ray hopped up and helped her set it down. The smile on his face was a mile wide. 

       “Glad to see you again,” she said to Ray, also beaming. “Let me go square things with the kitchen and I’ll be back. Want that coffee hon?”

       “Yes please, with cream if you have it,” said Janine. 

       Freddie nodded and headed to the back, waving at Winston and Peter as they joined the table. 

       “So that was the famous Miss Jones?” Janine asked.

       “Yup! She’s a pip!”

       “Good lord Ray you’re gone over her. That’s so cute!”

       Ray blushed but didn’t disagree. 

 

       About fifteen minutes later Freddie was back with coffee and food. 

       “Sorry that took so long. We’re down two people. Eat up and when you’re done just head to the trailer behind the restaurant. The door is unlocked. Wait for me there ok?”

       She headed back to the kitchen without waiting for a reply. 

       “She’s a little odd, isn’t she?” asked Janine. Her answer was the sound of chewing. She shrugged and tucked in to her giant plate of Southern love. 

 

       Two hours passed before they saw Freddie again. The old fashioned camping trailer out back turned out to be her home. It was all one room with a teeny bathroom in the back. Just like the restaurant it was neat as a pin and twice as clean, with the exception of the area that would be considered the dining room. A small table and single chair were covered with newspaper clippings, old books, diaries, photographs, and more. Egon and Ray took a look at what she had gathered and quickly surmised it was the history of Water’s End. A family tree had been pinned to the wall with notes that said things like ‘direct contact’ or ‘dormant’. Ray opened a fragile looking journal that had a bright pink bookmark. The page it held had thin cramped writing on it that was hard to make out. He showed it to Egon, but Janine had better luck reading it thanks to her trained eyes. 

       “It’s talking about a graveyard. Is there one on the plantation?”

       “Yes, and a church too,” said Ray.

       “Well it says ‘the entity lives there, asleep but not sleeping’. What does that mean?”

       “Beats me. We weren’t able to get a good look at the graveyard because it’s surrounded by a privacy fence.”

       Janine wandered to the back of the trailer. There was a sofa made up like a bed with a small table next to it. On it sat a framed photo of loving parents holding a smiling teenager between them. She thought that Freddie hadn't changed much over the years aside from growing older and a little sadder. Winston had told her about her parents and why she hated Perkins so much. Janine felt oddly protective suddenly as she ran her fingers over the photo. There was a swelling her in chest that she couldn't understand since she had only just met Freddie, but when Egon called her name the feeling was gone.

       They continued to leaf through Freddie’s collection until she finally joined them. 

       “Sorry about that. Thanks for waiting.”

       Janine jumped right in. 

       “What’s this about an entity in the graveyard?” 

       Freddie wearily sat down on the sofa/bed. She toed her sneakers off, took a deep breath, and began her tale…

 

       The sun was low in the sky as Ecto rolled up the dirt road to the guest house. The ride home had been quiet as everyone thought about what Freddie had told them. 

       “History says that my ancestor, Jeremiah Water, took his life. This isn’t true. He was murdered by men who were scared of what was happening on the plantation. As a point of reference the Salem witch trials were only about 30 years past when this all went down. Anyway, it started after Jeremiah and his family settled on the land. He wasn’t able to make anything grow, but he wasn’t worried because he wasn’t a farmer and had to rely on his foreman and hired help to run things. However when his men, all skilled, couldn’t get anything to grow he knew there was something gone on. Then the sabotage started. Farm equipment was bent and broken, the barn was set on fire twice, the cows had been set loose into the woods...all kinds of things. At first he suspected rival plantation owners but there were plenty of resources and demand for goods so that didn’t make sense. He started having some of his men patrol the grounds at night but they never found anything. Jeremiah was getting desperate. His finances were dwindling and he was worried that he would leave his wife and newborn daughter destitute.” 

       “Then, one warm summer evening around dusk, his wife Sarah was outside with their daughter Rebecca, who was about 2 years old by this time. They were sitting under the oaks and enjoying a fine breeze. Rebecca was a little runner and got away from Sarah so she could chase bugs. In moments the baby was out of sight. Sarah naturally freaked out and called for help to find Rebecca. It was getting darker by the minute and the little girl wasn’t making a sound to aid anyone. Every field hand and house servant took up a torch and went searching. Finally, in a clearing, which according to my records is where the church stands now, one of the men found the toddler. She was suspended in a ball of soft blue light about three feet off the ground, bobbing and swinging like she was in someone’s arms. The child was clearly enjoying herself as she cooed at something only she could see. The man swore he could hear soft humming. As he slowly approached he stepped on a branch. The sharp crack startled whatever it was that was holding Rebecca. The blue light turned brilliant crimson and expanded out, forming huge spikes all pointed right at the man. It went for him with lightning speed. He cried out and fell to the ground. The child, scared by the noise, started crying. The light began to switch between blue and red rapidly, apparently torn between attacking the man and tending to the child. By this time more people arrived, including Sarah. The light swooped toward her, but instead of lashing out it swiftly dropped the little girl safely in her arms.”

       “From that night on the light would seek Rebecca out. It stayed in the tree line outside the house, watching. Then, late one evening when Jeremiah was in Charleston to sell their cotton, Sarah took Rebecca to the clearing. The girl’s nanny followed in secret. I was lucky enough to find her diary when we were cleaning for a renovation. She wrote, ‘I saw Misses Sarah walk out of the house long after dark. She wasn’t wearing no shoes or even a dressing gown, so I followed, fearing for her and the babe. The Misses walk like a woman drunk or possessed! She swayed and stumbled but never fell and never let go of her girl. Rebecca didn’t cry or else I would have stopped the Misses. When they got to the bedeviled clearing I stopped but watched. The Light was there, but it didn’t hurt either the Misses or my little peach. I waited and kept an eye, but there was no need. The Light was good to them and after that I didn’t bother following no more.’”

       “I don’t know if Sarah realized what was going on or not, but the nanny’s diary said that these ‘walks’ would happen about two or three times a month, usually when Jeremiah was gone. The next day Sarah would be tired, but endlessly happy. The spirit would still sit out at the tree line night after night for all the world to see, but Jeremiah mentioned in his journal that it was more like it was guarding than anything else. It was also right around then that the sabotage stopped. No more tools were broken or went missing, and the fields flourished so much that more workers were brought in to handle the bounty. The family spoke of the spirit as a blessing, but not everyone agreed.”

       “Despite the Water family reassuring their workers, and the visible benefit of having it there, a few of their men saw the light as an evil thing, or at least something to be feared. Religion has always been important in the South, and these people had a firm faith. To them the light represented the Devil, but since they couldn’t get rid of the light, they would get rid of what the light wanted. So one night after the family had gone to bed, several men crept into the house with the intention to kill the Water family and burn the home down. Thankfully not everyone agreed, or at least had such dire intentions. Several of the house staff woke Jeremiah and Sarah moments before the men broke into the bedroom, while Rebecca’s nanny hid with her in a closet in another part of the house. In the scuffle Jeremiah was shot while trying to protect one of the maids that risked her life to warn them, while Sarah was stabbed in the side. The screams echoed across the grounds. In an instant the entity was in the house and on the men. They made no noise as the red-tinged specter surrounded them. One by one they dropped to their knees, mouths open in a silent cry. The spirit left in search of Rebecca, leaving the men on the floor, each one babbling out their sins against the Water family. After it found the little girl safe and sound, it moved from person to person, first in the house, then over the grounds. Every man or woman it found with murderous or malicious intent was treated the same as the first group. It didn’t kill, but it made the people it judged confess to their crimes by breaking their minds. By dawn it had finished its task and returned to the main house. Jeremiah was dead from his wounds, and Sarah wasn’t far behind him. Rebecca laid beside her mother on the bed, crying because her mother was crying. As the spirit came into the room the house staff scattered, fleeing the room or pressing themselves into corners to keep from attracting its attention. The entity ignored them and instead focused on the two women. There’s no written account of what happened at this point, but Sarah survived, going on to remarry and have two more children, both girls. Rebecca grew into a beauty with a brain to rival her looks, also marrying and bearing little girls. The plantation grew to legendary proportions and was known throughout the South as the place to find the best cotton and indigo. The people the spirit stopped never recovered, and the entity itself was never seen again. In fact there were never any tales of anything otherworldly happening on the plantation in the centuries since. It’s as if as soon as you get on the plantation there’s a stillness, an inner calm  that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s why I need to go back. I need that peace again.”

       Janine and the guys sat in silence for a moment. Peter, never one to keep quiet, coughed to get everyone’s attention. 

       “That’s a great story. Really. But how do you know it happened? And since we’re dumb for being scientists and all, you’re going to need to explain how this fits into what’s happening now.”

       Freddie rolled her eyes and waved her hand at the pile of papers on her table. 

       “You won’t be letting that go will you? Anyway, like I said, I have books, diaries, first, second, and third hand reports. Everything that’s ever been written. I did always think it was odd that this never became Lowcountry lore, but after a while I realized that the property line is more than just a point on a map. It’s as if the plantation is another world with different rules. Rules that Perkins doesn’t understand, assuming he even cares enough to try. I think he’s woken up the spirit that attacked those men. Think about it.”

       “She’s right. The pieces fit,” said Ray.

       “Or someone who knows the history of the place is making the pieces fit,” argued Winston. “Yeah we got stuff trashed, but the plant life is fine.”

       “That’s not a fair comparison. The fields haven’t been used since the plantation was sold. According to my research that’s what the spirit focused on.”

       “No one has been possessed,” Egon pointed out. 

       “That we know of,” Freddie countered. “Perkins wants Water’s End to be haunted, but it’s not!”

       She got up and began to pace, but the space was so small she did little more than spin in circles.  

       “You told me that the church was blocked off, right? That’s the clearing where the spirit lived. What if he’s doing all this on purpose so he can have his precious ghost for his fucking theme park?!? He’s messing with shit he doesn’t understand and you don’t want to do anything about it!!” 

       “So what if he is?!” yelled Peter. “It’s his land now. LET IT GO.” 

       Freddie was on Peter in a flash. Her hands grabbed his collar and pushed him against the wall. The tiny trailer rocked and teetered precariously. 

       “It’s where I belong damn it!” Freddie was sobbing as shouted at him. “It’s my life he stole from me! My family! Everything I ever had! I will never let it go. I was born there and I will die there!! It’s all I have left!”

       She released him, stumbling back. 

       “It’s all I have,” she whispered, her anger spent. Ray caught her and turned her so she could cry on his shoulder. Freddie’s body shook as she let out all of her pent up sadness. He stroked her hair and murmured things the others couldn’t hear. Janine decided the trailer was too small to give any kind of privacy so she quietly shooed the boys outside while Ray calmed Freddie down. 

       Peter kicked at the dirt as he paced to get his frustration out. 

       “I’m not wrong,” he huffed like a petulant child. “It’s his land now. If he wants to summon the Devil himself and charge $10 a pop that’s his business.”

       “It would be if we knew that it would hurt anyone, but this spirit Freddie told us about...it didn’t kill but it did incapacitate. Those people never recovered from the mental assault. Who’s to say it won’t happen again?” asked Winston. “Look, I get it. We’re stuck in a weird place, but I think we need to talk to Perkins and let him know what’s going on. Maybe he doesn’t realize what’s happening? If he’s been off-site since buying the place he probably doesn’t have a clue.”

       “I agree with Winston. We should talk to Perkins. He’s got to be there by now,” Janine glanced at her watch. “It’s nearly 4 o’clock. Let’s get back to the plantation and see if he’s there. We’ll have a sit down, then make a plan.”

       “Yeah, alright.” Peter kicked a large stone. It bounced off the side of Freddie’s trailer, leaving a dirt smudge that was hardly noticeable against the rust and flecking paint. “Someone get Ray so we can get this over with.”


	4. Showdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A missing Ghostbuster, a dark graveyard, and a gun.

**Chapter Four**

 

       As Ecto rolled up to the guest house Winston let out a low whistle. Even in the waning light the dark blue Rolls Royce Wraith shone like a well cared for jewel. Chrome accents were polished to the point of blinding. A uniformed driver stood beside it, buffing out what little dirt was on it. When the Ghostbusters rolled up he tipped his hat to them. 

       “Nice ride,” he said to Winston as they got out. 

       “I could say the same. 1977?”

       “‘79. You’ve got a good eye.”

       “Thanks. I take it the owner is inside?”

       The driver grimaced.

       “Yeah. Good luck.”

 

       They could hear yelling coming from inside as they walked up the porch steps. Or more specifically they could hear one man dressing someone down at the top of his lungs. The noise got louder when Ray opened the door. Two men and a woman were sitting in the living room while a small, rat-like man paced back and forth, ranting. He was well dressed in a three-piece suit complete with a silver ball-topped cane, but he used it more to make wild gestures than to walk. 

       “...had planned! Years of work RUINED because of your stupid idea!”

       “Mr. Perkins, it was the wisest course of action. The cost of the equipment alone…”

       “SHUT UP SIMMONS!!”

       Ms. Simmons flinched as the little man had his tantrum. His face was screwed up tight and red from anger. He raised his cane as if to strike the older woman. 

       “HOLD IT RIGHT THERE BUSTER!” Janine’s voice echoed as she pushed through her friends to stand in front of Perkins. She snatched the cane from his hand as he stood in shock, then swiftly broke it over her knee. 

       “You! How dare you!” he sputtered, looking at the pieces in her hands. His face had gone white when he realized his rant now had an audience. He cleared his throat, calming instantly. 

       “Ah, the Ghostbusters. I have quite a bone to pick with you lot.”

       Peter sneered.

       “At least you can’t do it with a weapon in your hand. Thanks Janine.”

       “I would never strike a lady,” Perkins cooed with all the sincerity of a cheap car salesman. 

       “Uh huh. Ms. Simmons, are you alright?”

       “Perfectly fine Dr. Venkman. Thank you.” 

       She stood, straightened her coat, and proceeded to make introductions. 

       “Mr. Perkins, may I present Drs. Venkman, Spengler, and Stantz, Mr. Zeddemore, and Miss Janine Melnitz.”

       “Yes, the idiots who are costing me money and time. You told me on the phone you had the ghosts, but my men tell me your equipment was trashed. Then I find out you’re talking to that sore loser bitch of a girl Jones.” 

       Winston preemptively stood a little in front of Ray as Perkins gestured to the other two men in the room. He recognized one as the defacto captain of the guard, the one Freddie called Lurch. The other was someone he didn’t recognize. 

       “Don’t you call her that!” Ray called, pushing against Winston in an attempt to get at Perkins. Egon put a hand on Ray’s shoulder. Between the two of them they kept Ray in place, not that they wouldn’t enjoy seeing Ray thrash the little weasel. 

       “I can call her whatever I want. She’s a liar and a sneak. But don’t worry, I’m willing to forgive your insolence. Just get me my ghosts so I can finish leveling this dump. I have a timeline to keep.”

       Perkins turned his back on the Busters and addressed the two men. 

       “Mr. Grace, return to your post and make sure that little shit doesn’t get in here. Mr. Stevens, you don’t need to spy on her anymore. I’m sure you’ll be glad not to come home smelling like disgusting meat every night. Go back to Chicago and wait for your next assignment.”

       “Well that answers that,” Winston mumbled as the two men left. 

       “Why are you still standing here? You have a job to do. Get to it!!”

       “Yeah yeah keep your pants on. You’re going to blow a blood vessel if you don’t chill out,” Peter said. “We’ve got some questions for you first.”

       “You have two minutes.” Perkins motioned to Ms. Simmons, who took out a stopwatch from her pocket.

       “Geez. Ok why did you lie to us? You could have just said you needed a consult.”

       “A consult would have gotten me one, maybe two of you. I needed all four and that eyesore of a car for the papers. You weirdos make good press when your all dressed up.”

       “Hey man, say what you want about me but leave Ecto alone,” growled Winston. 

       “Why is the church and graveyard blocked off?” asked Egon, who had shifted from holding back Ray to making sure Winston didn’t do anything rash.

       “Because I don’t want anyone to go over there. I would think the giant fence would be enough of a hint. Simmons are we sure they earned those degrees? Because they’re talking like idiots.”

       “You know, I’m beginning to see why you have Ms. Simmons do the talking for you.”

       “Oh?” Perkins narrowed his beady black eyes at Peter.

       Before Peter could say something he probably wouldn’t regret, Janine stepped in. 

       “Enough. Mr. Perkins on behalf of the Ghostbusters we are officially ending the contract. You don’t have ghosts. In fact after seeing you in person you probably just have a lot of very pissed off employees who want to make you hurt the only way they know how. Either way we won’t go to the press, however we also won’t sign off on this place as being haunted. Whether you think we’re idiots or not, our word has weight.”

       “Hmm, perhaps your right Ms. Melnitz. Or perhaps you five are frauds. Either way I’m not paying you a dime. Stay here for the night if you want, but I want you gone in the morning. If you come to your senses I’ll be at the main house. Simmons! We’re leaving.” 

       Perkins strode out of the house without looking to see if Ms. Simmons was behind him. She nodded to the guys and mouthed ‘thank you’ to Janine before scurrying out after Perkins. They watched them get into the Rolls and drive off. 

       “What a dick,” huffed Janine. “I never thought I’d meet someone I hate more than Peck.”

       “It’s a Christmas miracle,” agreed Peter. “Welp I don’t know about you guys but I’m going to pack and hit the sack. I’m glad to have this job behind us.”

       “You’re going to bed? It’s not even six!” said Ray.

       “Yeah well I was up early.”

       Peter headed up to his room. Winston followed suit, saying that he needed sleep if they were going to be on the road the next day. Janine attempted to stay up, but by 8 pm she was yawning so loudly that Ray threatened to carry her to her bed if she didn’t go on her own. She laughed but agreed, winking at Egon as she left the room. 

       “Let me know if you have trouble sleeping,” she cooed at him. 

       Egon blushed but nodded.

       “Goodnight Janine.”

       Ray and Egon listened to her footsteps. As soon as they heard her bedroom door close, they leaned closer to each other to speak quietly.

       “So you saw it too?” Ray asked.

       “I saw an orange light around Janine when she broke the cane. It was gone quickly, but there’s no denying it was there.”

       “Your meter go off?”

       Egon shook his head. “I think we need to start considering other possibilities because I don’t think this is a spectral issue.”

       “Agreed. But what else could it be?”

       “Astral projection, psychic illusions, hallucination inducing drugs or perhaps something naturally occurring, well timed coincidences...”

       “What about aliens?”

       Egon rolled his eyes.

       “Ray be serious.”

       “Just a thought,” he said sheepishly. “I guess it doesn’t really matter. We can’t help Freddie now. I feel so bad for her.”

       “I know. I’m sorry we couldn’t do more.”

       Egon wasn’t the best at giving comfort. He patted Ray’s shoulder awkwardly.

       “It’s ok Iggy. Maybe we can figure something out later. I think I’m going to go read for a bit.”

       “Alright. I’m going to stay up and work on a pack. It’s hard for me to sleep in a strange place.”

       Ray grinned.

       “It’s hard for you to sleep, period. G’night.”

 

       Pieces of the pack were strewn over the kitchen counter. Everything that was too burned to save and non-volatile was in the trash. The parts that could cause trouble if not disposed of properly were set aside. Egon was testing some bits to see if they could be salvaged when he thought he heard his name called. He stopped and looked around, waiting to see if he heard it again. 

       “Egon…”

       “Janine?” 

       “Egon…”

       He put his work down and went upstairs, thinking perhaps Janine was having a bad dream and was calling out for him. The door to her room was open. The light from the hall lit her room enough that he could see her bed was empty. 

       “Janine!”

       Egon flew to each bedroom to wake the guys as he ignored the cold ball of terror in his stomach. 

 

       “You didn’t see her leave?” Ray asked as he shrugged into his jumpsuit.

       “Of course not! I would have stopped her,” Egon replied testily, pacing back and forth. He was already dressed and waiting for the others. “Something bad has happened, I just know it.” 

       Winston walked into the living room, fully dressed.

       “Do we even know where to start looking?” he asked.

       “I know!” 

       Freddie burst into the house, panting and sweating. 

       “Freddie! What...how…?” Ray was puzzled but delighted to see her.

       “I know where she is. We have to hurry!”

       Egon hollered up the stairs while Ray grabbed what equipment they had left.

       “Peter! Hurry up! We have a lead!”

 

       Ecto bounced down the dirt road to the church. Winston went as fast as he dared but the road was uneven and twisted enough that caution overruled speed. 

       “How did you know to come?” Egon asked. 

       “Something called my name. I couldn’t ignore it,” Freddie said, shrugging. She was sitting in the back between Ray and Peter. “Ray?”

       He looked over, unconsciously leaning closer to her.

       “Ray...I’m scared. I think something is going to happen tonight.”

       His face softened.

       “I won’t let anything hurt you. I promise.”

       Ray put an arm around her shoulders, holding her as close as the crowded backseat would allow. Peter rolled his eyes but didn’t tease, probably because he knew that Freddie would have no problems hitting back. 

       “Hey guys. Check this out,” Winston’s voice was tense. The giant privacy fence was blasted open. The edges of the gap were still smoldering as Ecto rolled up. 

       “I think it’s best if we get out here since we don’t know the layout,” he suggested. 

       Everyone got out and geared up as best as possible. Peter and Winston took a pack and a trap, Ray had his goggles and a meter, while Egon had a meter and a trap. Winston handed Freddie a flashlight.

       “I feel naked,” Ray joked as he tried to break the tension. 

       “You look pretty well clothed to me, but we can change that later,” Freddie said with a wink. Ray blushed bright red, stammering out something that was possibly English. “Oh geez, I’m sorry. It’s a defense thing. I get kinda mouthy when I’m nervous or freaked out or…”

       “Breathing?” offered Peter. 

       “Jerk,” she said, but it was obviously said with slight affection. “Seriously though, I’m sorry Ray. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

       He shook his head and grabbed her hand. 

       “You don’t have to apologize for something I enjoyed hearing.”

       It was Freddie’s turn to blush. 

       “Um, guys? Can we please stick to finding Janine?” 

       “Sorry Egon,” said Ray. 

       He pulled his goggles on and powered them up. The world glowed green, showing him what was lost in the darkness. The road continued forward a few more yards, ending in a small patch that was probably used as a parking lot for the church. The church itself was dark. Boards were nailed over the doors and windows, while ivy had begun to grow over the sides. If left alone it would be completely covered in just a few more years. Ray carefully followed the road, his attention grabbed by a set of bare footprints lit up like they were electric. 

       “I’ve got activity. There’s a set of prints leading this way,” He pointed ahead, but kept his head down to watch the tracks. “They seem to be following a small path.”

       “This is the long way to the graveyard...wait, there’s two sets of footprints,” Freddie said. She cast her beam down and showed them the bare ones Ray saw, as well as a set of shoe prints. “Someone is with her?”

       “Maybe she’s been kidnapped. Let’s move!” Egon tried to hustle past Ray, but he grabbed his friend by the arm. 

       “Maybe, but it won’t help anyone if we rush in.”

       Egon grudgingly nodded. Despite the overgrowth the path was fairly clear, allowing the group to travel quickly. They could see dim light up ahead as they got closer to the cemetery. The bushes lining the area were just thick enough to keep them hidden from view. The graveyard was as overgrown as the church. Vines and plants were thick over the headstones and markers. Several statues and memorial benches were scattered around and a few of them were broken from neglect. At the far end was an excavator next to a large mound of dirt and a stack of rotting wooden boxes... 

       “Where’s the light coming from?” whispered Freddie.

       “I think those are construction lights,” Winston replied softly. “I’m pretty sure I hear a generator. Any sign of Janine?” 

       “Yeah. I don’t think we need to be quiet anymore.” Peter pointed to the middle of the yard. Janine had stepped out from behind a large marble obelisk and was facing them despite the fact they were still hidden. She was wearing a long white nightgown that trailed to the ground and no shoes or glasses. Her face was disturbingly calm. Standing in front of her was a fully dressed Perkins. He was shaking and sweating because she held a large carving knife to his throat. 

       “Possession?” Ray asked.

       “Possession,” Egon confirmed.

       They all stood and walked slowly into the graveyard. Egon wisely had his PKE meter out, but as usual it was quiet. As they approached they could see Janine’s glassy-eyed stare and expressionless face clearly. Perkins on the other hand was a complete wreck. 

       “Help me! She’s crazy!”

       “About our fee…” Peter crossed his arms and glared at Perkins.

       “I’ll pay! Now get me out of here!”

       “Sure thing, just keep quiet,” Peter raised his hands and crept forward. “Hello. My name is Peter. You have taken over my secretary. I would like her back. What do you want in return?”

       Janine, or more correctly, the thing inside her said nothing. It looked though Peter as if he wasn’t there. She stood completely still as the wind gently rustled her nightgown, acting as though she was a statue herself.. 

       “Do something!” Perkins whined. 

       “Working on it,” Peter sing-songed. “So be quiet. E, have any ideas?”

       “None. Ray, picking anything up with the goggles?”

       “There’s an aura, but I can’t get any kind of ID on it.”

       As the boys talked softly they didn’t noticed that Freddie was slowly walking toward Janine and Perkins. Janine’s empty eyes locked onto Freddie. 

       “You know me, don’t you,” Freddie asked, still edging forward. “You and I are old friends, aren’t we?”

       She saw a flicker of recognition at the same moment Perkins started squealing like a pig.

       “Get them! SHOOT THEM!!!”

       Freddie whipped around to find herself and the boys facing a line of armed guards. Rifles clicked as they were cocked into the ready position. A cold sweat drop rolled down Freddie’s back as she watched the barrels train on her. 

       “Step away from Mr. Perkins!” It was Lurch. Unlike the others he had a revolver pointed at her. “I repeat! Step away!”

       “She won’t respond.” Freddie prayed her voice sounded more calm to the guards than it did to herself. “Miss Melnitz isn’t herself. She’s been taken over by the spirit that lives here.”

       “That’s bullshit and you know it. There aren’t any ghosts here. There never were!” Perkins hollered. “She’s just a crazy bitch!”

       “So who destroyed all of that equipment?” asked Ray. His wished he had gotten a pack. All those guns made him nervous. 

       “It was some of those student protesters,” Lurch shrugged, still pointing his gun at Freddie. “We caught them when they were trying to escape. When I told Mr. Perkins he decided to make it seem like it was ghosts to make the park look better when it opened. The next step was calling you four. Instant credibility.”

       “Yeah except we actually do the job we’re hired for,” snapped Winston.

       “What about the messages on our mirrors? And our packs?! Who set them on fire?” Ray growled.

       “I did. The writing was easy, and torching your stuff was fun,” answered Lurch with a sneer. “It kept with the theme.”

       “You sonofabitch!!” Egon sprang forward to throttle Lurch, but one of his guards quickly stepped in his path and bashed his head with the butt of his rifle. Egon fell limply, immediately unconscious from the attack. He sprawled out on the ground as a small puddle of blood formed under his face.

       “Egon!” Peter tried to go to his friend, but the same guard swiveled his rifle up to point at the man. 

       “Back it up,” the guard hissed. 

       Peter did, but only because it was a gun point. 

       “Will one of your assholes earn your pay and shoot this bitch??!” whined Perkins. A thin trickle of blood snaked its way down his throat. 

       “Shut your pissy little mouth you shitlord. I should let her flay you alive for what you’ve done,” muttered Freddie as she turned her attention back to Janine, locking eyes with her. Gently she put a hand on the wrist holding the knife. 

       “It’s ok. I’m a friend, remember? You used to visit me on summer nights when I would sleep outside. I never saw you, but I knew you were there. You’ve always been there...” 

       The entity inside Janine didn’t resist as Freddie guided the hand away and took the knife. Perkins bolted as soon as he could, pushing Freddie away. The knife fell from her hands, landing point down in the grass. Perkins ran straight for Lurch and grabbed the revolver from his hand. 

       “No one makes a fool of me!” 

       In a fit of rage Perkins emptied the gun at Janine, screaming wildly as he did. Winston raced forward to stop him, but time seemed to slow. As he ran forward Freddie was pushing Janine away, almost on instinct, just seconds before Perkins began firing. This left her in the same spot that Janine had just been in, and every bullet hit its mark. Ray watched in horror as her body jerked with each shot. Amazingly she remained on her feet as the six bullets tore apart her insides, but as the last shot’s echo faded she fell to her knees then forward onto her face. Ray let out an anguished cry as he dashed to her side. 

       “Please please please please,” he begged, gently rolling her over. He howled in pain. Freddie’s eyes were open and empty. She was already gone. Ray gathered her up in his arms, rocking her body as he cried. 

       “You fucking bastard!” Winston saw red as he pulled his thrower. He didn’t care if he was about to commit murder. The pack hummed as Winston flipped it on and stood ready to melt the arrogant prick’s face off. The guards closest to him whipped around, rifles already firing. However with one word his revenge was no longer necessary.

       “STOP.”

       Everything and everyone froze. Peter could see the rifle rounds hovering in the air just feet from where he and Winston stood. He tried to move out of the way but he was stuck in place. Not even his head could turn, just his eyes. 

       “No more.”

       The voice was soft but authoritative, everywhere and nowhere. Out of the corner of his eye Peter could see Janine slowly walking into the middle of the action, her blood-spattered nightgown fluttering as she moved. The moment felt like a dream. Janine was graceful and leisurely as if she had all the time in existence. Gently she plucked the bullets out of the air, taking Winston and Peter out of danger. Next she went to every guard and touched their rifles. Each one instantly melted like water into useless slag on the ground, but it didn’t burn their hands or even the grass in landed on. She did the same to the revolver Perkins held. Finally she went to Egon, still lying prone on the ground. Janine rolled him over, cradling his head as she did. With a wave of her hand the blood disappeared. Egon opened his eyes and smiled up at her.

       “Janine?”

       She didn’t return his smile, but helped him to his feet. He wobbled a bit, but was otherwise perfectly fine. 

       “What’s going on?” 

       Janine didn’t respond, turning to Perkins and Lurch instead. 

       “I will return your freedom, but there will be no more violence.”

       Peter felt his body return to life. He heard Winston take a deep breath.

       “Spengler, you ok?” he asked. Egon nodded as he watched Ray weeping. 

       “Christ Peter. What happened?”

       “I’ll tell you what happened!! This nutty bitch drugged us. This is a hallucination. It has to be! This isn’t real this isn’t real this isn’t real…” Perkins babbled as he tried to make sense of what he had just seen. This was just another day for the Ghostbusters, but for Perkins and his men this was new and scary ground. Some sat heavily on the ground, shaking their heads in confusion. Others walked out of the clearing to go who knows where. Lurch stood at full attention like a military statue. 

       “We need to call the cops,” Winston said.

       “Yeah, in a second Z.” Peter kneeled next to Ray, putting a hand on his shoulder. His friend had stopped crying, but he was still rocking back and forth with Freddie in his arms. “Ray? Buddy? Come on. I know you’re hurting but this isn’t going to help.”

       “I really liked her,” Ray said, hiccuping. He looked up at Peter, tears still fresh on his cheeks. It broke Peter’s heart to see him this torn up.

       “I know buddy. I liked her too.”

       “It’s not fair. I just met her.”

       Peter nodded, then motioned to Winston to come over.

       “Let us take her, ok? Please?”

       Ray looked down at Freddie, reluctantly nodding. Peter and Winston lifted her up together, cradling her between them. They carefully moved her to a stone memorial bench a few feet away, laying her down gently. 

       “What are we going to do man?” Winston whispered. 

       “We need to make sure Perkins and that freaky guard are held accountable for this shit. He won’t get away with murder.”

       “Oh I’m going to get away with it,” Perkins laughed. 

       Every eye turned to him. He had grabbed the knife and was steps away from Janine. 

       “First I’m going to kill this bitch then I’m going to kill all of you. I’m untouchable. I’m fucking Randolph Perkins!!!”

       He swung the knife at Janine, slashing a line across her chest and shoulders. He wasn’t close enough to do real damage, but a thin red line seeped out of the long cut in her nightgown just below her collarbone. She looked down at the damage, then up at him. Her face never changed from its placid expression, which seemed to Perkins to be all the more terrifying. He dropped the knife, edging back with his hands up in defense as she slowly moved closer to him. A soft pale blue glow began to form around her, and as it brightened it turned darker and deeper, shifting from blue to vicious red. Janine raised her right hand, reaching for the terrified man who couldn’t seem to get away fast enough. She laid her hand on top of his head. The red aura flowed over and into him, joining the two of them in its light. Perkins’ eyes went wide, his mouth dropping open in a soundless scream. The seconds ticked away as she held him. Egon would later comment that he could see the sanity leave his eyes. 

       Finally the red faded from him, returning to Janine. Perkins dropped to his knees, babbling and drooling. Lurch shook and yelled at the man but got not response he could understand. Janine turned, her light fading from red back to pale blue. She soundlessly moved over to the bench where Freddie was lying. The girl was covered in blood, clothing torn to bits. For the first time Janine showed emotion. It was a deep sadness that made her look much older. She reached down and stroked Freddie’s damp bangs from her face. 

       “My sweet little girl,” she said softly. “I used to watch her chase fireflies. She was so full of happiness. It broke my heart to see her go. That’s why I took that vile man when he returned. I wanted to make him let her come back. She belongs here.”

       Ray cautiously approached.

       “Who are you?”

       Janine turned to face the Ghostbusters.

       “I don’t think I ever had a name. I don’t know where I came from. My first memory is hearing a little girl’s laughter as she chased bugs.”

       She went back to stroking Freddie’s hair.

       “I went to see because I didn’t know what it was. When I first laid eyes on Rebecca I felt her life force. She was a little ball of orange light. Others were gray and dull, but she sparkled. I was drawn to her and I knew I would do anything to keep her happy and safe.”

       “Did you save her mother’s life?”

       Janine nodded.

       “Rebecca needed a flesh and blood mother, not a phantom. I poured myself into Sarah, replenishing her energy with my own until she lived again. It nearly ended my existence, but when I saw how happy Rebecca was I knew I made the right decision. Once I recovered I tied myself to this land so that it would always be rich, prosperous...a safe haven. I could never be a true mother, but I could make sure my children were cared for.”

       “Your children?” Egon asked.

       “Sarah carried part of me with her for the rest of her life and it passed to her daughters. Sometimes I could touch their minds, but not always. It wasn't like Rebecca though. She was different and her children were different. Our lights melded flawlessly, just like the light inside this body.”

       “Wait. Are you saying…”

       “No, this woman is not my child. She merely has an receptive mind.”

       Peter looked down at Freddie as Janine continued to touch her. He realized that the blue light was flowing into the dead woman. Janine seemed to dim the longer he watched. 

       “Why couldn’t we detect you? My equipment…”

       “When I bonded with the land I created a place where my daughters would be safe from outside influence. Their orange lights attract dark as well as light. Here the dark can not touch them, but that is about to change...”

       “Wait,” Peter stepped forward, touching her shoulder. “You’re going to do it again aren’t you? You’re going to give up your energy.”

       She looked up and gave him a truly radiant smile. 

       “I have been here long enough. She has not.”

       “You’re willing to die for her?”

       “Irrelevant since I was never alive to begin with, but yes. Of all my daughters she has the most power and potential. She must live.”

       Janine bent down and kissed Freddie’s forehead. A bright flash shot out, blinding everyone including Lurch and Perkins. When their eyes cleared Janine was lying unconscious on the ground. Egon kneeled beside her and gently urged her awake. He noticed that the slash from the knife was gone, but thought it was better not to mention it. 

       “Ray?” 

       Freddie was sitting up, blinking and confused. She reached out for him and he was at her side instantly. 

       “Are you ok? How do you feel? Did you see the other side? Are you hungry?”

       She giggled, kissing him briefly to shut him up. 

       “I’m fine. I feel kind of funny but not a bad funny. I didn’t see the other side, and I’m thirsty but not hungry. Ok?”

       He grinned and hugged her tightly. 

       “Egon I’m alright. Really.”

       Ray glanced down to see Egon holding Janine just as tightly as he was holding Freddie. Peter and Winston exchanged looks then hugged each other in a friendly mocking way. Freddie burst out laughing at the sight. When another unfamiliar voice joined the laughter she stopped, going ridged in Ray’s arms. Perkins had crawled on his hands and knees over to where they were gathered, giggling like a maniac. 

       “I did it. It’s true! I did it. I bribed anyone I needed to so I could get the land. Your mother’s lawyer, politicians, bank execs, everyone. I created a paper trail so perfect no one could question it. I even faked bank accounts so it looked like I paid your parents but they failed to give you control of it before they died so you wouldn’t get a dime. Without that money you’d never be able to afford to sue me. It was flawless.”

       Freddie stared at the man as if he had grown a second head. 

       “Why?” she asked, mystified by his sudden need to confess.

       “Because I wanted this place. Your father held it up before me like a jewel then took it away. When they died in a car accident I took the opportunity to grab it. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did! Ha!”

       “So you didn’t kill them?”

       “No but I really really really wanted to. It was just simple luck. Well lucky for me. Bad luck for you.”

       He giggled again. It was disturbing sound that made Freddie’s skin crawl. 

       “Now what will you do? Throw me out again?”

       She leaned against Ray for support and closed her eyes. She was suddenly very tired. It was as if getting the answers she wanted for so long was sapping her strength.

       “Throw you out? No no no nonono. I’m going to make it right. I’m going to give you the money you should have gotten AND I’m going to give you back the property AND I’m going to turn myself into the police. I should be arrested for murder since I did kill you,” he snickered. “but since you’re alive again I guess I’ll have to make due with fraud, forgery, and all that. Either way I’m sure I’ll be going to jail for a long long time. Isn’t that wonderful?”

       Perkins looked freakishly happy for someone who was going to turn themselves in. Lurch, who was standing behind him the whole time, leaned down and helped the insane man to his feet. 

       “That’s enough talking sir. Let me get you back to the house and get you some help.”

       “Help? I don’t need help. I need a lawyer to draw up the papers! I have to fix this so that scary lady doesn’t come back,” he laughed as he walked away with his guard. 

       “Well,” said Winston as they all watched them leave. “I guess we finished the job.”

       “Hey Perkins! Don’t forget our check!” Peter called after him. Perkins waved in acknowledgement but didn’t stop walking. “That man has gone bonkers. I love it.”

       “Five bucks says he’ll be bankrupt in a year. So now what?” 

       “Good question Z. Thoughts?”

       “Yeah. Can someone tell me why we’re standing in a graveyard and I’m in my nightgown? And where the hell are my glasses?” Janine asked. She was crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to preserve her modesty. The knife cut was making the gown hang low enough to show off something that was for certain eyes only. Egon put a comforting arm around her shoulder and tried not to look like he was obviously taking a peek. 

       “I’ll fill you in. I’m pretty sure there’s a blanket in Ecto...”

       He led her down the dark path, making sure she didn’t trip since she wasn’t wearing shoes.

       “Hey Ray, what’s the details on the pool?” Peter asked.

       “Kissing in public while in control of their own bodies and minds.”

       “That’s pretty specific,” commented Freddie.

       Ray shrugged. “In our business we have to be.”

       She touched his cheek gently. 

       “This is probably a good time to mention I’m in complete control of myself, mentally and physically. I also make a fantastic stack of pancakes for breakfast...”

       Ray’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. He kissed her deeply, loving how she wrapped herself around him. Winston chuckled while Peter snorted. 

       “Bus is leaving kids. Be on it or walk home,” he said. 

       Ray came up for air long enough to mumble something about walking. Peter shook his head. 

       “Come on Z. Let’s go.”


	5. Pancakes and Good-byes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy ending? No, not really.

**Chapter Five**

 

       True to her word, Freddie fixed pancakes for everyone the next morning for brunch. Ray was constantly at her side trying to help, but just ended up getting in the way. Freddie took it in stride with a laugh or a kiss for him. Egon and Janine came downstairs together. From their body language it was clear that nothing major happened, but there was a closeness that hadn’t been there before. 

       “I am completely stuffed. Those pancakes were fantastic,” said Peter, burping loudly. Janine threw a napkin at him, laughing. The events of the night before seemed like a distant memory. The ladies remembered what happened, but both admitted it was as if they had seen it in a movie instead of experiencing it first hand. Freddie said the pain was so brief that she didn’t even know she was shot until she saw her shredded clothes. 

       “Ray checked me thoroughly for scars,” she said with a straight face. The man in question turned as red as the strawberry jam on the table. 

       “And did he find any?” Peter asked smoothly.

       “Not a one,” she replied with a wink. 

 

       A little while later Winston and Ray were on the front porch enjoying their last day before returning to New York. The weather was cool and breezy, perfect for sitting and doing nothing. 

       “So what are you two going to do?” Winston asked.

       “What do you mean?”

       “Well, she lives here, you live there…”

       “Oh...that…” Ray looked crestfallen.

       “What’s wrong?”

       “Well we talked about it last night. I can’t leave the Ghostbusters to move here.”

       “So have her move up there. I think she’d fit in with that mouth of hers,” Winston chuckled. Ray looked sadly at him. 

       “That’s the trouble. It looks like she physically can’t leave the plantation.”

       “Woah. She’s stuck here?”

       Ray nodded. 

       “Early this morning we took her car out. The plan was to go to her trailer to get some fresh clothes. As soon as the car crossed the property line she got sick, really sick. It was painful just to watch her. I spun the car around and we weren’t 5 feet inside the gate when she stopped freaking out. I think...I think when that entity saved her life it passed on the promise to protect this place. Or at least that’s the only thing that makes sense.”

       Winston slowly nodded.

       “Yeah that seems fairly reasonable. Both Freddie and that thing said that the land has its own rules. Good thing she loves it here.”

       “Yeah…”

       “You know...Charleston is a pretty hopping spot for the paranormal. Heck, the whole South is. Who knows, maybe in a few years we’ll open a branch down here.”

       Ray perked up immediately.

       “You think so? That would be great! I bet we could service the whole Southeast from one good spot. I-95 is just around the corner so we could get to Savannah and Florida easily. Charlotte is only 4 hours away…”

       Winston smiled and let him babble on. He didn’t lie about the possibility of opening more locations, but he heard from Egon the South was last on the list. If he was a betting man, he’d place good money down that it would be moved to the top when they got home. It was shortly after this that a black SUV pulled up in front of the house. The guys stood as the doors opened. Ms. Simmons, Perkins, and a man they didn’t know all got out. Perkins was all smiles, albeit crazy ones. 

       “Hello Ghostbusters! I’m so pleased to see you! Are the rest of you here? Is Ms. Jones here? We have so much to do!”

       Ray and Winston looked at each other warily. 

       “Uh...yeah they’re inside,” Winston said, opening the door for their guests and guided them to the living room.. 

 

       “So those are the terms. If you find them acceptable just sign here...here...and here.” The unknown man turned out to be Perkins’ personally attorney. He brought with him the deed transfer paperwork as well as several checks. 

       “The payment is fine, and the transfer is fine, however the construction equipment needs to be removed and whatever damage they caused needs to be fixed,” Freddie said.  

       “That’s fair,” Perkins agreed, nodding enthusiastically. 

       “Ok then I guess we’re good.”

       She signed the documents with a flourish. Once done the attorney passed out the checks. Two went to Freddie, one for the property and another for ‘personal harm’. The guys and Janine all got one as well. Winston suspected it was hush money, but it was also big enough that he was happy to play along. Finally the payment for the job was put into Ray’s hands. It was the promised amount to the penny. 

       “You know guys, since we’re here we should go ahead and put a down payment on some property,” Ray said eagerly. 

       “Let’s wait on that until we fix up the firehouse, ok sport? That last experiment of yours is still stinking up the 3rd floor,” groused Peter. 

       “Ha! Just like a sitcom!” Perkins giggled. “Ah so Ms. Simmons, I have a check for you too.”

       “Mr. Perkins...I wasn’t expecting…” Her eyes boggled when she saw the amount. “Oh my! Mr. Perkins…”

       “You’ve been with me for 20 years my dear, and I’ve never told you how much I appreciate you. Well I’m setting everything straight so I want you to retire and enjoy life!”

       He grabbed her right hand in both of his, shaking it eagerly. 

       “Mr. Price, you have my orders, yes?”

       “Right here Mr. Perkins,” the attorney said, patting his briefcase. “As soon as we leave here I’ll put it all into action.”

       “Tremendous! Well I’ve got to get going. Ms. Simmons would you mind staying here for a moment with Mr. Price? The rest of you too if you don’t mind. I need a moment.”

       Perkins turned on his heel and walked out, a man on a mission. He left behind a very puzzled group of people.

       “I wasn’t expecting that...any of that. I figured he’d be apologetic thanks to last night...but this?” Freddie waved her checks in the air. “This is beyond…”

       A sharp loud crack rang out. Ms. Simmons went white as a sheet while the others tried to figure out what the noise was. 

       “Randolph!!”

       She bolted outside. She didn’t make it to the first step down the porch when she screamed. Everyone crowded outside to see what had alarmed her. 

       “Oh gods…” whispered Egon, cradling Janine’s head to his shoulder as she cried. 

       Mr. Randolph Perkins, CEO of Haven Properties and multi-millionaire land baron, had shot himself in the head several yards away from the house under a massive oak tree. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves, covering him with tiny bright rays of light. His body was in a sitting position, leaning against the wide trunk, and he was smiling. If it wasn’t for the blood and gore one would think he was asleep and having sweet dreams. 

       Winston mumbled something about calling the police. The rest of them just stood there in shock. 

       “Why would he take his life?” Ms. Simmons whispered. “Oh Randolph…”

       “This is my fault,” Freddie said, pulling away from Ray. “This is all my fault. I should have just let it go. I should have walked away.” 

       She paced, her feet stomping on the wooden porch loudly.  

       “Freddie you can’t blame yourself.”

       “Yes I can Ray. It’s my fault. It’s my fault he’s dead!”

       Ray rushed over and held her tightly to him as she broke down. He could hear her muffled sobs as she repeated ‘I killed him’ over and over. All Ray could do was stroke her hair and comfort her with soft words until she got it out of her system. The others looked on helplessly. 

 

       The police were efficient and polite. Within a few hours they had all the information they needed and Perkins’ body was removed. All that remained was a blood stain and tire tracks. The detective assigned to the case said it was obviously suicide so he didn’t stick around long. Ms. Simmons and Mr. Price left after their statements were taken. Winston and Peter volunteered to pick up dinner at Freddie’s restaurant, as well as drop off the pages of notes she had for her employees now that she couldn’t leave the plantation. As soon as the car was out of sight Egon and Janine slipped off for a quiet sunset stroll, leaving Ray and Freddie alone. 

       He found her on the front porch in a rocking chair. She didn’t speak when he sat down beside her, instead she just reached for his hand. Ray took it and tried not to be disturbed by how cold it was. They sat, rocking in tandem, as the sun set. The crickets and night birds joined the frogs in a song of the woods. Far off in the distance the wink of fireflies could be seen as they lit up the ancient oaks and Spanish moss. 

       “I’m going to miss you,” she whispered, a hint of tears in her voice. Ray squeezed her hand.

       “I’ll be back. I promise.” 

       She squeezed his hand in return. They sat and listened to the world sing as evening fell. 

 

       Two days later Ecto pulled into the garage of the firehouse. The place was just as Janine had left it, although the pile of mail was bigger and the answering machine tape was full. 

       “The party never stops,” she grumbled. 

       The boys efficiently unloaded the car, putting things in piles called ‘fixable’, ‘washable’, and ‘lock away in a lead lined box’. More than once Peter said that they should use the money from the job to put in an elevator. After Egon and Ray lugged the pack pieces up to Egon’s workshop it seemed like a good idea to them as well. 

       Finally everything was either back in place, getting fixed, or swishing in the washing machine. Egon offered to take Janine home and pick up a pizza on the way back. Winston disappeared to a quiet corner to read a new mystery novel, and Peter found a western on TV he hadn’t seen in a while. Ray grinned at his friends as he headed downstairs to check on the containment unit. 

       “Back to normal,” he sighed wistfully. He thought about calling Freddie to let her know they were home safe when the phone rang. 

       “Ray!” Peter called from the living room upstairs. “Phone!”

       He darted to the phone at Janine’s desk like a man possessed. 

       “Freddie?”

       “Hey handsome…”

  
**Epilogue**

 

       Freddie had readjusted to plantation life faster than she thought possible. Within a few days of taking the property back she had men clearing the fields and a construction crew coming next week to start renovating the guest house (aka her new home). The money from Perkins was going to be used wisely. Half was tucked away earning interest while the other half was going to make Water’s End the best damn plantation in the South. Freddie felt that Perkins had the right idea, but the wrong execution. The main house and second house were going to become B&B’s while some of the smaller buildings were going to be refurbished to look as they did in the 1700’s. The educational tour potential was enormous. She planned on eventually filling the stables with fair tempered horses and offering summer camps for kids and winter retreats for Northern snowbirds. First though she needed to do something to soothe her soul. 

       She spent most of the morning planting a wide variety of flowers at the base of the tree where Perkins had died. It seemed fitting that new life would be growing where one had ended. The last bulb was just covered with soil when an unseasonably bitter wind kicked up, chilling Freddie to the core. She stood up and looked to the sky, thinking that rain was coming, but all she saw were bright fluffy clouds floating by. 

       “If this is hell, I’m not amused.” 

       Freddie’s eyes went wide as saucers as she looked down to the sound of the voice. The hazy gray face of Perkins floated up out of the ground, the bullet wound clearly visible on the side of his head. He grunted with effort as his arms slowly worked themselves free. Pushing on the ground for leverage he was able to get the rest of his body out of the dirt with a pop. Perkins spun for a moment in the air, eventually leveling out. He floated in front of Freddie and glared at her. She sat on the grass with a thump, unable to stop staring at the ghost before her. 

       “Well? Say something you imbecile!”

       “...oh fucknuts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking through to the end! I hope you liked it. Before you ask, yes there will be a sequel but I don't know when. I find it's better to let the plot bunnies come to me instead of trying to chase them. It never works out and I end up with grass stains on my pants. 
> 
> Thanks again! See you next time!

**Author's Note:**

> Notes for Chapter One
> 
> I know that one of Egon's nicknames is Iggy, but I feel like Peter would call him Eggy (aka Egghead). Sure it's a little insulting but it's also a very Peter thing to do.


End file.
